John Alexander Gration spent 15 years as a Christian missionary in Africa before starting his academic career and founding the missions and intercultural studies graduate department at Wheaton College.

“My strongest sense of John is of a wise and gracious elder statesman in his field of missions and in the world of Christian higher education,” said Stanton Jones, Wheaton College’s provost and chief academic officer.

Mr. Gration, 85, died of complications from Parkinson’s disease Sunday, Jan. 29, at his home in Carol Stream’s Windsor Park Manor retirement community, said his daughter Judy Kohl.

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