John Kevin Markey's Obituary
Dr. John Kevin Markey, a devoted husband, father, scientist, and educator, passed away on April 8, 2024, in San Diego. John was born on April 8, 1956, in St. Louis, MO, to Jim and Johanna Markey. Throughout his life, John touched the lives of many through his unmatched intellect, humor, and generosity. He enrolled in an accelerated program at San Diego State University at age 17, and graduated with his degree in physics at age 19. He was among the youngest students in history to be selected for the United Kingdom’s Marshall Scholar Program, and studied at Trinity College at Cambridge University through that program. He then completed his PhD in particle physics at Caltech University under an advisory committee that included Nobel Laureate Richard Feynman.
John joined the faculty at Yale University as an Assistant Professor in both the physics department and at the Yale School of Medicine, where he was integral to the establishment of Yale’s groundbreaking Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Research Center. As the lead physicist overseeing Yale's first patients to be diagnosed using PET imaging, John's contributions to the medical field led to advancements that have saved countless lives and will continue to save lives for decades to come.
John's ideas and intellect had global impact. He helped keep the country safe from nuclear threats through his work on President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative ("Star Wars") program, and advanced exploration into the universe beyond with inventions still in use today in NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.
While at Yale, John met his beloved wife, Hilary, with whom he shared 33 years of marriage filled with love, laughter, and cherished memories with their daughters Alanna, Lara, and John's daughter from his first marriage, Samantha. They moved back to John’s beloved San Diego, but John's career continued to take him all over the world as he made invaluable contributions to satellite television and communications, cryptography, and digital security architecture. He then returned to teaching in San Diego, and his enthusiasm for physics inspired countless students to explore the wonders of the universe around them.
Standing tall at 6’6”, but ever-insistent on using nicknames like Lil John and Tiny, he was a skilled basketball and tennis player, and played basketball for the SDSU Aztecs and Cambridge basketball team. John’s daughters were his universe and he devoted his life to providing the best for them, whether that was through using his long stride to outpace the crowds and secure the best FastPass tickets at Disneyland, or letting them stand on his tall shoulders to see the world. John’s legacy will continue in the love he shared for his daughters, his beloved wife, his siblings Phil, Craig, and Elaine, his lifelong best friend Don, and his dear friends and colleagues.
Dr. John Kevin Markey leaves behind a legacy of generosity, wisdom, and love. His impact on the lives of those around him will resonate for generations. As we reflect on the life of this remarkable man, we celebrate the light he brought into our lives and honor his memory with gratitude.
Visitation and Services will be held at Greenwood Memorial Park in San Diego on April 26 from 10:00AM to 12:30PM. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, an organization of which John was a longtime supporter.
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