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Steven P. McKinney ’66

Steven P. McKinney ’66, January 11, 2002, from radiation necrosis, treatment for brain cancer, in San Jose, California. Steven's study at Reed focused on mathematics and philosophy and he graduated with a BA in philosophy, after which he joined the Peace Corps and was stationed in Iran. He met and married Jeanne Schneider, another corps volunteer, and they had two children. Steven earned a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Wisconsin in 1972 and began a career in government work, becoming senior planner for Santa Clara County in 1982. In the course of his years as a planner, Steven is credited for helping change the way cities weigh the relationship between job growth and housing development. Described as the family intellectual and a gifted athlete, he was enthusiastic about his participation in all the events of his life—from running marathons to raising a family—and dedicated to making a difference in the world. Following exploratory brain surgery in 1979, which left him speechless, Steven resigned from the county and took a position as a software engineer, and continued his climbing in Yosemite’s backcountry. He outlived medical expectations for his life by 16 years by adjusting gracefully to the changes that came. He is survived by his wife, his daughter and son, a grandson, his parents, two brothers, and a sister.

Appeared in Reed magazine: February 2003

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