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A Tribute to John Richard McKinley
Submitted by Art Larson and Reed Buffington
Chabot College
John McKinley was an admired colleague, friend, and outstanding
leader – not only at Chabot College but in the California Community
College System as a whole. He was a native Californian, a graduate
of Oakland High School and a loyal graduate of the University of
California at Berkeley. His first employment was with the Social
Security Administration Office in Oakland. During World War II,
John was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy and served as a
Lt. Commander with meritorious service in the pacific theater.
Following his return to civilian life, he served as a YMCA camp
director and then started and developed the Stonestown YMCA in San
Francisco. Upon completion of his master's degree at Berkeley, he
joined the University Faculty as an instructor in Public
Administration. As indicated by the decals and license plates on
his car, he was a loyal alumnus of the University. John was a
trained University of California Master Gardener. He found great
enjoyment in growing a great variety of planted and potted plants,
especially orchids.
John was a true professional, beginning his career in the Community
College System at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill where he
served as the Registrar. It was there that he met Dr. Reed
Buffington who was Dean of Instruction. John moved on to become the
Dean of Instruction at Laney College in Oakland. When Dr. Buffington
later became the Superintendent-President at Chabot College he
invited John to fill the position Dean of Instruction there. John's
leadership was effective because of his personal scholarship, his
orderly management of change, his skillful communications, his
commitment to the mission of the community college and his
encouragement of innovation. John was admired and respected by all
who worked with him: the faculty, the staff and fellow
administrators. He was a perfectionist, firm, reasonable and honest.
John left the Office of Instruction to develop and organize the
newly created Office of Administrative Services for the College. His
reputation for integrity made for easy acceptance of the new
administrative division. The responsibilities of that office
included personnel administration. John became a recognized leader
in that field, and he became an expert in the interpretation of the
policies and procedures of both the State Teacher's Retirement
System and the Public Employees' Retirement System. After his
retirement from Chabot, he became recognized throughout the State as
an excellent pre-retirement counselor. He was one of the founders of
the Chabot Association of Retired Employees and remained an active
member of the Board of Directors retiring as a Director Emeritus.
John is remembered for his pride and devotion for his family in
which he held many titles: brother, husband, father, father-in law
stepfather, grandfather, great grandfather. He could name each one.
John practiced his Faith. He was a quiet, caring, loyal and generous
person with a positive personality, infectious smile and a readiness
to help others. He was known by his friends as a "Gentleman's
Gentleman." John was a great conversationalist and knew few
strangers.
John will be missed but his legacy will endure.
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