John Emory McKenna ’57

Jack died May 23, 2018. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Nancy Ann “Mickey” McKenna; and his stepson, Paul Drew.

At Princeton Jack seemed to follow two separate paths. While his major was chemistry, his passion for poetry occupied him both in and out of class.

Jack’s evolving alcoholism became troubling as the years rolled on. He became physically, emotionally, and morally exhausted, as were his resources. Jack converted to Christianity at age 37. Placing himself in the hands of his spiritual teachers, he said he could simply walk away from his addictions to alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes, and he did.

While remaining robustly evangelical for the rest of his life, he plunged into a study of “what the Bible really says.” He earned a Ph.D. in theology, learning Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, and Old Syriac along the way.

He authored one book on theology and tried his hand at poetry of a spiritual nature. The latter work was in partnership with Mickey, each writing alternate lines.

Occupationally, Jack described himself as a theological consultant, not a minister. He worked for years at various seminaries, mostly in Southern California. Many of his students were Korean. His last assignment was at a university established by a former Korean student.

Over time, Jack’s communications with classmates became broader and gentler, and his poetry became less insistent and easier to understand. While he never associated himself with a denomination, he did allow himself to be ordained at an African American church in Los Angeles. Despite his best efforts, he never lost his Brooklyn accent.