Benjamin F. McKinley ’84

Ben died March 30, 2025, in Seattle.

He was born and raised in Wayne, Pa., but spent nearly his entire adult life as a secondary school math teacher and outdoorsman in the western United States.

Ben came to Princeton from Episcopal Academy. He majored in economics, played on the squash team as a freshman, worked in the fitness center, played on an intramural basketball championship team, and graduated cum laude. His senior-year roommates were Larry Martinez, Paul Sidoti, and Chris Beaufort. Ben earned a master’s degree in education from Stanford.

His love of the outdoors began in Maine as a summer camper but blossomed in the West. He was a veteran of Minnesota Outward Bound, several Alaska NOLS courses, and innumerable trips down various Western rivers. He met his wife, Jackie, on a Colorado River expedition. Ben was an accomplished rock climber, mountain biker, skate skier, kayaker, canoeist, and photographer. Even though he did not think of himself as a runner, he nevertheless qualified for and ran in the 100th Boston Marathon. After a family trip down the Green River to celebrate his 60th birthday, he was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma.

Ben treasured his long-term friendships, and thought nothing of driving around the country visiting friends and family even after his illness emerged.

He is survived by his wife Jackie; son Bryce ’27; daughter Keira; mother Judith Rogers; brothers Adam Goldstein ’81 and his wife Cheryl, and Dan Goldstein and his wife Yukari; sister Laura Hayes; stepmother Lili Goldstein; and 17 nieces and nephews. His father, William Goldstein ’57, predeceased him.