John Myers
John Myers, former supervisor of the science machine shop at Skidmore, died November 15, 2017, at Albany Medical Center, following a long struggle with cancer. He was 77.
Born in Troy, to John and Elaine (Clement) Myers, John graduated from Hudson Valley Community College with an AAS degree as a mechanical engineering technician. He also graduated from the Watervliet Arsenal’s apprentice machinist program and retired from the Arsenal in 1994 after 28 years as a quality-assurance product manager.
In 1997, he joined Skidmore's Chemistry Department as a support technician and soon took on the role of mechanical engineering technician, supervising the Dana Science Center machine shop, which serves a wide range of faculty and student research.
Mary Odekon, professor of physics, says that John “loved teaching students how to use the tools and machines” and was eager to share his expertise. Fellow physics faculty member Jill Linz recalls, “John had a great way with the students, and he became lifelong friends with quite a few. He was constantly looking for new project ideas that students might be able to use for their courses, and students would often go to him for advice in this area. He worked tirelessly with anyone who wanted to work on projects in the shop.”
Greg Gerbi, a geosciences professor, recalls that, “John didn't want to simply make things and then cast them off to their users. He’d like to know what we were doing with them and how well they worked. I appreciated that kind of engagement.”
Outside work, John was an avid New York Giants football fan. He enjoyed time with his family and friends, and for 13 years, he coordinated an annual outing to an Army football game at West Point. He was known for being a willing leader in virtually any activity.
Jon Nardozzi ’04 first met John as a chemistry student using the machine shop. “We quickly became friends,” Jon says, “and I participated in his family’s annual football event, which was always a blast.” He also recalls John’s “deep appreciation of music of all kinds — usually the louder the better. He was always excited to share music that he loved, sending me CDs in the mail when I lived in Syracuse and Boston. He was very generous.” Finally, Jon says that John was very proud to work for passage of New York State’s Dignity for All Students Act, to reduce bullying and harassment in schools. John retired from Skidmore in November 2016.
Sister-in-law Ronnie Myers and nephew Michael predeceased John. Survivors include brothers Robert, Louis (Irene), and James (Theresa), as well as longtime friend and companion Jeffrey Groff (Tammy Mansfield), 19 nieces and nephews, and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews.