HANOVER, NH — John Jenkins died in Hanover on November 23, 2020. The son of Rouget D. Jenkins and Patricia Abernethy Jenkins, John was born in New York City on May 2, 1921 and, with his younger brother, Jerry, grew up in Bronxville, New York. In a highlight of his young years, John, aged ten, won a local marble tournament—the Bronxville newspaper reported, “Jenkins, shooting with deadly accuracy…”
After Bronxville schools, John graduated from Culver Military Academy and Dartmouth College. Like most of his classmates, he attended college in the summer of 1942 and graduated from Dartmouth in December, class of 1943. Three days after completing his college studies, he was an army draftee, on his way to Camp Upton, Long Island, New York. A year later, Staff Sargent Jenkins left Greensboro, North Carolina to enter OCS, (Officers Candidate School). As a new second lieutenant, he was assigned to Army Air Force Intelligence. In February 1944, he married Mary Mecklin, whom he had met in 1942 during his Dartmouth summer. He served on Army Air Force bases in Hays, Kansas, (B-29s) and Alexandria, Louisiana, (B-17s). Twice posted for overseas duty, he was twice scratched as the war ended in Europe and then in the Pacific.
Post war, John and Mary lived in suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri, New Canaan, Connecticut, Ft. Wayne, Indiana and Westport, Connecticut (for 38 years). John worked in sales and marketing for La France Industries, (eventually VP, board of directors), followed by 25 years with the Imperial Schrade Corporation (VP, board of directors)—as listed in WHO’SWHO in Finance and Industry, 1989-1990. John retired in 1991.
Warm and welcoming to everyone he met, John devoted his volunteer efforts to helping others. Wherever he lived, he transported the handicapped to medical appointments, drove for the Red Cross and the Blood Bank and delivered Meals on Wheels. In Westport he chaired the Railroad Parking Commission, (trying to keep over 1,000 commuters happy). In Hanover he was a Red Jacket volunteer at DHMC and a volunteer and board member at the Upper Valley Hostel (now Maynard House). At Kendal, where John and Mary moved in 1999, John helped residents in the Kendal Health Center and served on various committees. For many years he was also the secretary of his Dartmouth class of 1943, responsible for the class notes that appeared in the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine.
After John retired, he and Mary traveled extensively in Europe, Africa, Asia and the U.S. He always found time for tennis and an occasional golf game and enjoyed 40 years of summer vacations in Nantucket.
John was predeceased by his brother. He is survived by Mary, with whom he shared a close, happy 76-year marriage, their children Patricia J. Brenner, Shelly (David Kirk), John Jr, (Nancy Stiles) and Robert (and his companion, Sharon Gleason), six grandsons (five granddaughters-in-law), two granddaughters and five great-grandchildren.
A service will be held at a later date, post-pandemic. For anyone who wishes to do so, donations in John’s name may be made to the Howe Library, a Kendal Fund or DHMC.