John Dennis McKenna, Ph.D. passed away on June 14, 2022, at the age of 82.
John was born in the Bronx, N.Y. in 1940, the eldest of four children of Hubert and Elizabeth (Record) McKenna. He graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School, earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Manhattan College '61, a M.S. in Chemical Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology '68, a MBA from Rider University '74 and a Ph.D. from Walden University '91.
John married his German Fraulein, Christel (Klages) in 1964. They had two children, Marc and Michelle, and settled in Roanoke, Vs. in 1973. John became President of Environmental Testing Services, Inc. (ETS, Inc.) in 1979. ETS, Inc. has been a national leader in air pollution control ever since. He was a 50 year member and Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. John was also the local chapter president for many of those years. He was appointed by the Governor of Virginia to be a member of The World Trade Alliance of the Blue Ridge from 1997 to 2001. John was a proud member of Phi Kappa Theta and also of Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society. He served on the School Advisory Board of Roanoke Catholic Schools, the Finance Committee of St. Francis of Assisi Church and was a member of Elks Lodge 1241, among many other positions he held professionally.
John loved watching and playing sports. He was an avid tennis player and later in life he took up golf. He especially loved watching his Manhattan College Jaspers and the New York Yankees. He was a nature enthusiast and loved all animals. In his youth he raced homing pigeons when he lived in NYC. He was a musician that loved jazz, classical and rock-n-roll. John had a great sense of humor, never turned down dessert or a glass of red wine. He loved to garden and eat Italian food. John loved to reel in a fish and identify birds. He loved a good book, especially by fellow Jasper, James Patterson or a good mystery by Alfred Hitchcock or Agatha Christie. John enjoyed Peter Sellers and James Bond movies. He was an entrepreneur and inventor who loved to learn and he loved to teach. John was the consummate gentleman and a devout Catholic. He adored his wife, children and especially his three granddaughters. John always had a smile a mile wide and a zest for life that was infectious. He was generous, humble and kind beyond words.
John was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his loving wife Christel; son, Marc; daughter, Michelle Sellers (Marty); three granddaughters, Emma Kate, Caroline and Sophie; sister, Elizabeth Ulich; brothers, James (Margaret) and Michael (Carol) along with numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
John was born in the Bronx, N.Y. in 1940, the eldest of four children of Hubert and Elizabeth (Record) McKenna. He graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School, earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Manhattan College '61, a M.S. in Chemical Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology '68, a MBA from Rider University '74 and a Ph.D. from Walden University '91.
John married his German Fraulein, Christel (Klages) in 1964. They had two children, Marc and Michelle, and settled in Roanoke, Vs. in 1973. John became President of Environmental Testing Services, Inc. (ETS, Inc.) in 1979. ETS, Inc. has been a national leader in air pollution control ever since. He was a 50 year member and Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. John was also the local chapter president for many of those years. He was appointed by the Governor of Virginia to be a member of The World Trade Alliance of the Blue Ridge from 1997 to 2001. John was a proud member of Phi Kappa Theta and also of Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society. He served on the School Advisory Board of Roanoke Catholic Schools, the Finance Committee of St. Francis of Assisi Church and was a member of Elks Lodge 1241, among many other positions he held professionally.
John loved watching and playing sports. He was an avid tennis player and later in life he took up golf. He especially loved watching his Manhattan College Jaspers and the New York Yankees. He was a nature enthusiast and loved all animals. In his youth he raced homing pigeons when he lived in NYC. He was a musician that loved jazz, classical and rock-n-roll. John had a great sense of humor, never turned down dessert or a glass of red wine. He loved to garden and eat Italian food. John loved to reel in a fish and identify birds. He loved a good book, especially by fellow Jasper, James Patterson or a good mystery by Alfred Hitchcock or Agatha Christie. John enjoyed Peter Sellers and James Bond movies. He was an entrepreneur and inventor who loved to learn and he loved to teach. John was the consummate gentleman and a devout Catholic. He adored his wife, children and especially his three granddaughters. John always had a smile a mile wide and a zest for life that was infectious. He was generous, humble and kind beyond words.
John was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his loving wife Christel; son, Marc; daughter, Michelle Sellers (Marty); three granddaughters, Emma Kate, Caroline and Sophie; sister, Elizabeth Ulich; brothers, James (Margaret) and Michael (Carol) along with numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
John Dennis McKenna, Ph.D. passed away on June 14, 2022, at the age of 82.
John was born in the Bronx, N.Y. in 1940, the eldest of four children of Hubert and Elizabeth (Record) McKenna. He graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School, earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Manhattan College '61, a M.S. in Chemical Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology '68, a MBA from Rider University '74 and a Ph.D. from Walden University '91.
John married his German Fraulein, Christel (Klages) in 1964. They had two children, Marc and Michelle, and settled in Roanoke, Vs. in 1973. John became President of Environmental Testing Services, Inc. (ETS, Inc.) in 1979. ETS, Inc. has been a national leader in air pollution control ever since. He was a 50 year member and Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. John was also the local chapter president for many of those years. He was appointed by the Governor of Virginia to be a member of The World Trade Alliance of the Blue Ridge from 1997 to 2001. John was a proud member of Phi Kappa Theta and also of Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society. He served on the School Advisory Board of Roanoke Catholic Schools, the Finance Committee of St. Francis of Assisi Church and was a member of Elks Lodge 1241, among many other positions he held professionally.
John loved watching and playing sports. He was an avid tennis player and later in life he took up golf. He especially loved watching his Manhattan College Jaspers and the New York Yankees. He was a nature enthusiast and loved all animals. In his youth he raced homing pigeons when he lived in NYC. He was a musician that loved jazz, classical and rock-n-roll. John had a great sense of humor, never turned down dessert or a glass of red wine. He loved to garden and eat Italian food. John loved to reel in a fish and identify birds. He loved a good book, especially by fellow Jasper, James Patterson or a good mystery by Alfred Hitchcock or Agatha Christie. John enjoyed Peter Sellers and James Bond movies. He was an entrepreneur and inventor who loved to learn and he loved to teach. John was the consummate gentleman and a devout Catholic. He adored his wife, children and especially his three granddaughters. John always had a smile a mile wide and a zest for life that was infectious. He was generous, humble and kind beyond words.
John was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his loving wife Christel; son, Marc; daughter, Michelle Sellers (Marty); three granddaughters, Emma Kate, Caroline and Sophie; sister, Elizabeth Ulich; brothers, James (Margaret) and Michael (Carol) along with numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
John was born in the Bronx, N.Y. in 1940, the eldest of four children of Hubert and Elizabeth (Record) McKenna. He graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School, earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Manhattan College '61, a M.S. in Chemical Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology '68, a MBA from Rider University '74 and a Ph.D. from Walden University '91.
John married his German Fraulein, Christel (Klages) in 1964. They had two children, Marc and Michelle, and settled in Roanoke, Vs. in 1973. John became President of Environmental Testing Services, Inc. (ETS, Inc.) in 1979. ETS, Inc. has been a national leader in air pollution control ever since. He was a 50 year member and Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. John was also the local chapter president for many of those years. He was appointed by the Governor of Virginia to be a member of The World Trade Alliance of the Blue Ridge from 1997 to 2001. John was a proud member of Phi Kappa Theta and also of Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society. He served on the School Advisory Board of Roanoke Catholic Schools, the Finance Committee of St. Francis of Assisi Church and was a member of Elks Lodge 1241, among many other positions he held professionally.
John loved watching and playing sports. He was an avid tennis player and later in life he took up golf. He especially loved watching his Manhattan College Jaspers and the New York Yankees. He was a nature enthusiast and loved all animals. In his youth he raced homing pigeons when he lived in NYC. He was a musician that loved jazz, classical and rock-n-roll. John had a great sense of humor, never turned down dessert or a glass of red wine. He loved to garden and eat Italian food. John loved to reel in a fish and identify birds. He loved a good book, especially by fellow Jasper, James Patterson or a good mystery by Alfred Hitchcock or Agatha Christie. John enjoyed Peter Sellers and James Bond movies. He was an entrepreneur and inventor who loved to learn and he loved to teach. John was the consummate gentleman and a devout Catholic. He adored his wife, children and especially his three granddaughters. John always had a smile a mile wide and a zest for life that was infectious. He was generous, humble and kind beyond words.
John was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his loving wife Christel; son, Marc; daughter, Michelle Sellers (Marty); three granddaughters, Emma Kate, Caroline and Sophie; sister, Elizabeth Ulich; brothers, James (Margaret) and Michael (Carol) along with numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
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