Obituary of John Robert McKittrick

John Robert McKittrick, 79, of Darien, Connecticut, died peacefully on July 19, 2026, after a long journey with Alzheimer's disease.

John was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Pauline and Robert McKittrick. He grew up in Western Springs, Illinois, attended Lyons Township High School, and graduated from Butler University with a degree in Business Administration.

At Butler, John met Susan, known to everyone as Susie, during their senior year. They began a partnership that would span countless adventures and 56 years of marriage. They moved to Darien in 1974, where they raised their children, Ryan and Allison, and built a life rich in family, friendship, service, sport, and tradition.

John enjoyed a long and successful publishing career with The Chicago Tribune, Sunset Magazine, and Reader's Digest. John was more than a natural salesman, and people trusted, respected, and genuinely enjoyed being with him.

Over the years, he served on the boards of the Darien YMCA, Wee Burn Country Club, and the Tokeneke Club, as well as Darien Youth Hockey and Darien Soccer Club, where he coached Ryan and Allison's teams over the years. An avid biker, kayaker, skier, and tennis and paddle player, John loved being outdoors. He ran the New York City Marathon in 1983 and, in 1999, rode 100 miles around Lake Tahoe with Allison to benefit the Leukemia Society. But one of his greatest passions was golf. He spent many happy days (in every season!) on the course at Wee Burn, where he participated in many tournaments and events. He attended the Masters many times, played Augusta National, and enjoyed golf trips around the country and world with friends over the years.

John was equally devoted to skiing. At Okemo Mountain, he was the first one on the lift in the morning, and the last one off of the trails in the afternoon. The family's home in Vermont was one of John's favorite places to be, swimming in the lake in the summer, enjoying the foliage in the fall, and skiing in the winter. His time there was filled with joy, from hours working with his family on puzzles, to the annual Vermont Classic golf tournament with his friends, a tradition that lasted for over twenty-five years.

John was a devoted Chicago Cubs fan who remained loyal through years of heartbreak. One of his happiest moments came in 2016, when he watched the Cubs finally win the World Series, surrounded by his family and grandchildren.

As a devoted grandfather, he rarely missed a first or last day of school, a concert, game, match, speech, or performance. No matter the event, Lily and Paige could look out in the crowd and expect to see him there. He gave his granddaughters the same gifts he had given his children: his time, attention, encouragement, and the certainty that whatever they were doing mattered deeply to him.

John is survived by his wife, Susan; his son, Ryan and his husband, Franco; his daughter, Allison Arneill and her husband, Scott; and his granddaughters, Lily and Paige Arneill. John leaves behind a family shaped by his example and a wide circle of friends whose lives were happier for knowing him.

A celebration of John's life will be held on Sunday, September 27, 2026 at Wee Burn Country Club in Darien between 3-5pm.