John “Jack” A. Redding, 74, of Lake Forest, a retired senior vice president of Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Co. of Chicago and an active community volunteer, died of leukemia Saturday, Sept. 30, in Evanston Hospital. His years as a Boy Scout influenced his life and provided a foundation for his character, said his wife, Lucy. He would often recite the Scout Law that a Boy Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. “At 70-something years old, with a twinkle in his eye, he would recite the law and he really meant it and tried to live his life that way,” she said. Mr. Redding grew up in Wilmette and graduated from New Trier High School in 1943. He served in the U.S. Naval Reserve during World War II. He graduated from Northwestern University in 1948. He worked his way up at Continental Illinois and retired as senior vice president in 1982. During his employment with the bank, he was involved in lending to energy companies, said his wife. He served on a committee of the National Petroleum Council and the Advisory Committee on Law of the Sea. Mr. Redding was finance chairman of the Chicago chapter of the Girl Scouts of America and was treasurer of the Union League Club of Chicago. After his work with Continental, he worked as the senior vice president of Nordic American Banking Corp., based in New York, and as a director with Associated Natural Gas Corp., based in Denver. In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, John Jr.; three daughters, Nancy Shepard, Ann and Martha; two brothers, George and William; and eight grandchildren. Services have been held.
