In Memoriam: John Clayton Kingston (1949?2004)

Abstract

Department of Biology, Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Laboratory(PEARL), Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada; *Author for correspondence (e-mail:stoermer@umich.edu)John Kingston was born September 26 1949 inAustin, Minnesota and died from the effects of abrain tumor in Ely, Minnesota on June 9 2004.With John’s premature passing, our field lost anexceptional intellect, and a truly unique personal-ity.John undertook his secondary education in thepublic schools of Austin, Minnesota and obtainedhis BS in Botany from Iowa State University in1970, his MS from the University of Delaware in1975, and his PhD from Bowling Green StateUniversity in 1980.John’s first and abiding interest was the naturalhistory, particularly the taxonomy, of diatoms.His interest in natural history was sparked by hisboyhood exposure to nature, and he remained anavid outdoorsman for his entire life. His interest indiatoms was developed primarily by interactionswith Dr John D. Dodd, an inspiration to manyAmerican diatomists. As an undergraduate, Johnparticularly enjoyed the opportunities and atmo-sphere of Iowa Lakeside Laboratory. He took theLaboratory’s diatom class, taught by Dr C.W.Reimer, in 1969, and then returned as an honorsresearch student in 1970, and continued to returnas a research investigator and guest scientist onnumerous occasions. The degree to which the re-search opportunities and collegial interactionsprovided by Lakeside Lab affected John’s career isreflected by the fact that he requested his ashes bereturned there.After graduation, John pursued his MS studiesunder Dr Ruth Patrick, one of the major figures inthe study of the North American diatom flora.Although his MS was granted by the University ofDelaware, he had substantial intellectual supportfrom Curators at the Academy of Natural Sci-ences, Philadelphia. Besides Dr Patrick, DrCharles W. Reimer was especially instrumental inshaping John’s career aspirations. Following abrief stint in a technical position in Gene Stoer-mer’s lab at the University of Michigan, heundertook his doctoral research under the direc-tion of Rex Lowe, completing his doctorate in1980. His doctoral dissertation, published inEcology in 1983, provided unique insights intostructuring of diatom communities in LakeMichigan, and large oligotrophic lakes in general.During his graduate studies he met, or as he waswont to say, re-met, Sarah Rayman, the ‘little’sister of a close secondary school friend, who wasto become a constant and stabilizing influence inhis life and career. They married in 1976 andcontinued to share their love for nature, a liberalview of life, and each other, to the end of John’slife. The union produced two sons, O‘Neil andHudson, who, together with Sarah, survive.