Remembering Dr. John F. Mehner

Here follow thoughts and remembrances from people who admired and respected Dr. John F. Mehner. We will continue to collect and post such comments on this page. If you would like to offer your thoughts for presentation online, please send them to enews@mbc.edu.

Annabel E. Barber ’81
Having no idea what to take in college and having enjoyed biology in high school, I enrolled in Biology with Dr. Mehner in my first semester at Mary Baldwin. Never had I met such an effusive man so passionate about his field. I immediately became a Biology major. Dr. Mehner and I enjoyed each other throughout my college years and found an internship for me working at Argonne National Laboratories during my last semester prior to medical school. We kept in touch throughout my medical school; and Dr. Mehner was able to come up and visit me in New York while I was in my residency. The New York Hospital- Cornell University Medical Center had a nest of Peregrine Falcons on the roof- top that were often written about in the New York Times. I took him over to see this wildlife in Manhattan. What a thrill. This summer I was able to take my family on a wonderful trip to the Galapagos Islands. We were delighted to spend two weeks with the famed BLUE FOOTED BOOBIES as well as many other wonderful creatures in Darwin's playground. Having just missed my 25 year MBC reunion, I am so sorry that I was not able to see Dr. Mehner in his last days. I certainly will miss him.

Gordon Bowen
Professor of Political Science and International Relations
John and I served on a planning committee for the future of the college early in my years at Mary Baldwin. His perspective there always brought soaring visions for the future back to earth and into a realistic alignment with the needs of educators and learners at the college. He was a good guide to the priorities that must shape a teacher's time.

After retiring, John continued to help those new to the community find ways to get involved in learning about our beautiful and fragile local environments. When my mother came to stay with us after my father had passed away, John made the needed introductions so that we could make contact with local bird enthusiasts, as my mother long had been active in Audubon Society and other birding groups. He generously shared his knowledge and made bird walks a fun learning experience even for an experienced birder.

John lives on: the caring attitude he modeled inspires emulation.

Cathy Walleigh Carnevale ’68
Dr. Mehner excelled as an educator, mentor, friend, and entertainer. He meant a lot to me and completely changed my future path.

In 1964 as a freshman at Mary Baldwin, I took an introductory zoology course to get my science credits out of the way (I thought I'd major in art history) and four years later ended up with a BA in biology. Dr. Mehner made science entertaining with never-ending wonders and discoveries. He took a personal interest in his students' progress as budding scientists, watching them grow, intervening when necessary and fostering their particular interests.

In my case, he encouraged my curiosity in genetics; selected me as a mere sophomore to join Tri-Beta the biological honor society (likely as a positive incentive to see myself as a scientist); and told me I could succeed and was plenty smart when I was wondering how I could even make it through college. All the while he was entertaining all of us with new findings on primate behavior, bird walks, trying to grow fetal bird bones on growth media, dissecting Squalus squalus in every room of that pathetic little biology building, and breeding fruit flies on banana medium in test tubes to see if our cross-breeding resulted in the predicted eye colors or wing-shape.

Dr. Mehner positively delighted in our individual revelations, as though each of us had just suddenly stumbled onto the construct of the double helix by ourselves. Doughnuts at 5am for bird walks and many picnics with marinated lamb kabobs and sangria (I think Bonnie Hohn had a lot to do with this part) made adventures in stabbing insects and dichotomous keys worthwhile endeavors.

In the end it was he who advised me to pursue veterinary medicine, something that had never occurred to me, and he again who found me a $1000 grant to help convince my parents - and they needed convincing - that veterinary medicine was a laudable goal. It turned out to be a perfect fit for me - something he instinctively knew - and the University of Pennsylvania accepted me with open arms despite virtually no women being accepted into veterinary schools in 1968. I think his letter of reference did it.

So ... I owe a lot to Dr. Mehner and, of course, to Mary Baldwin for allowing educators like Dr. Mehner to do their thing, i.e. molding little wads of female clay into something special, strong, and standing on their own.

Margaret "Peggy" Crosson ’67
I am sorry to hear about Dr. Mehner and remember him as a wonderful professor.

Ann Gordon Abbott Evans ’65
Thanks for sharing the news about Dr. Mehner. He joined the faculty my junior year, and I know he had a wonderful career at MBC. I know, too, that the students loved him.

Annemarie Evans ’73
My sympathies to the Mary Baldwin family on the death of Dr. Mehner. He was my roommate's favorite professor.

Virginia Francisco ’64
Professor of Theatre
I hear John Mehner's voice most strongly from almost 40 years ago, when I was a young faculty member. Then, as now, I lacked politic moderation and often spoke too passionately at, say, a faculty meeting. "Naow, Vir-GIN-yuh," he would intone, deep and nasal, "Naow, Vir-GIN-yuh!" The admonition comes to me still, and it's still valuable. It means something like, "I might agree with you, but speak moderately. This isn't a theatre!"

Ellen Porter Holtman ’71
I was a biology major in Dr. Mehner's department, and I have so many wonderful memories of him during that time. Each of us Ethology students sat for hours in his dark cramped office in the old biology building watching the behavior of evening grosbeaks at his feeder. Dr. Mehner graciously shared that little building for a year with Charlie Darwin, my pet capuchin monkey, though Charlie was never very well-behaved. He allowed Charlie to come along to the new Science Center, too, and he didn't banish either of us when Charlie escaped from his cage one weekend and destroyed Dr. Mehner's lifetime collection of bird nests and eggs. We all loved ornithology field trips -- it was such a thrill to ride with Dr. Mehner, his head and left arm way out the window, finger pointing to the sky, and shouting, "There, there, girls! There!" I treasure an old Peterson field guide he passed along to me, with a
note signed JFM in his familiar scrawl. He encouraged my friend Bonnie Curtis and me to spend a summer attending classes at the University of Minnesota field station at Lake Itasca, and that time of immersion in field biology was one of the best summers of my life.

I can't express the impact he had on the aimless 18-year-old he met in 1967. Dr. Mehner's love of the beauty and complexity of the living world, and some of his passion, too, live on in me, and he has been an inspiration over many years of teaching biology. I think of him on every field trip and I hope to pass on a bit of what he gave me.

For those who had to miss it -- his memorial service was a wonderful tribute, with a living hawk and his old dirty stuffed snowy owl in attendance, and with beautiful music and poetry. Thank you, Bonnie Hohn! We laughed and cried about his great mind, his eccentricities, and his enthusiasm. He was loved very much.

Mary Hunter Leach ’77
I LOVED Dr. Mehner so much -- we all did . I know he had had such a hard time with his debilitated health in recent years and yes, his beautiful mind stayed clear. I am actually driving to Staunton with my brother and parents for Easter weekend, but unfortunately will be returning to Kauai on the 27th ... otherwise, I would surely show up to celebrate his life and the many gifts he generously gave to us. I will remember him as long as I live ...

Dona Connolly Mastin ’72
I was in one section of Dr. Mehner's zoology class in the fall of 1968 and remember his class -- and him -- well, even after many years! I have a memory of one of the students suffering an epileptic seizure one day, and of how calm and efficient Dr. Mehner was in helping the student in a situation that was frightening for the class, as well as potentially dangerous for the student. I have often thought of Dr. Mehner over the years, and wondered how he was. I am indeed sorry to hear of his passing, and I feel fortunate to have had him for a teacher. I'm certain that his memorial service will be well attended! (Unfortunately, distance prevents me from being there, except in spirit!)

Barbara Johnston Ogles ’68
I'll always remember Dr. Mehner as one of my favorite teachers. During my first quarter my freshman year, I got very sick right before mid-terms. The nurses in the infirmary kicked my books under my bed and told me if I was well enough to read, I was well enough to leave the infirmary. That meant attending every one of my classes, and as a freshman, I had no "passes" to spare. When I was finally able to leave the infirmary, I went to see Dr. Mehner, who had been appointed my advisor. I knew I'd never pass the mid terms after not being allowed to keep up with my work. I remember sobbing in his office (I was a very impressionable freshman) and the kind tone he took with me. He said not to worry about it. I'm not sure what he did, but when I came back to meet with him, he'd arranged for me to make up all my tests within the next several weeks. As a brand new college student, I'll never forget that kindness. There were many more after that, but that was my first experience with Dr. Mehner, and I always remembered him for helping me so much in my "hour of need."

Kelley Rexroad ’79
Dr. Mehner was just mentioned in my kitchen as we did the "wick, wick, wick" back to the cardinal on my bird feeder. I come to the office upstairs and here is the news. I worked for him for 4 years. His Carltons brunt to the end, the day he had me open a white container --and inside were roaches!-- the TV's -- and to this day I can't think of a boss I had of whom I enjoyed more than John Mehner. The trash can in my office today is one he gave me for a birthday. Please let me know what Brian and I (my better half went on a bird walk on one of the returns to MBC) can do to keep his memory alive for those who will never have the chance to enjoy him. I received the letter from Ms. Evans yesterday adding me to the Board. I said last night that I would look Dr. Mehner up when I was back in Staunton. Seems ironic that he exits as I enter back. Thanks for letting me share my memories.

Carol Noel Seaman ’67
I owe so much to this mentor! I shall not forget and will forever be grateful for the 1963 freshman Biology class, taught by Dr. John F. Mehner. From the first day I was moved by the passion and intellect of this man for the beauty and intricacy of the created order and all the living things. I had come to MBC thinking I would major in Literature but after exposure to the love of life and the study of living things (biology), I changed my major to Biology. This led me on to teaching high school biology and to grad school and, later in life, to seminary. I am now an ordained Presbyterian minister who so appreciates the learning of the intricate beauty of life from the cellular to the complex, from the material and spiritual, for the oneness of all in the ONE I name God.

John Mehner set me on the path ... and way has led on to wonder-filled way. Thanks be to God for this good man.

P. S. Dr. Mehner was so clearly operating in his "call" ... no one could get freshmen college girls to get up at 5 a.m. and go bird watching ... and, with enthusiasm, if you please ... unless he was supremely gifted by the Creator! And John Mehner was ... is! Thanks be to God!

Lundie Spence ’68
Dr. John Mehner was one of the most influential teachers in my life. He made learning a joy. Once when I was enrolled in his ornithology class on a field trip to the Staunton park, I remarked on how ugly the moscovy duck was. His response was that there was no such thing as an ugly bird--period. So I have never seen less than beautiful birds the rest of my life. He was a great mentor to me.

Anne Moore Vogtle (Baldwin) ‘72
What a glorious inspirational man. I had the wonderful pleasure of being a biology major under Dr. Mehner and a student who was turned into a lifelong birder after experiencing his enthusiastic early morning “labs” for his ornithology course. The dearest memories for me, however, result from my opportunity to join Dr. Mehner for a safari to East Africa in the summer of 1974 – a magnificently fun Mary Baldwin trip whose participants included my husband Bryan and my closest friend -- and Mary Baldwin roommate -- Mary Rogers (Field) '72. Together, we journeyed to remote parts of Nairobi to the animal-carving “sweatshops”; strolled the Leakey digs at Olduvai; saw lions, leopards, elephants, hippos, and water buffalo up close and personal; enjoyed safari stories around the evening campfire; toured Masai huts; but most importantly marveled at the incredible bird life– from the flamingos hordes at Lake Nakuru to the brilliantly colored rollers to the lovely Crowned Cranes. Dr. Mehner was ecstatic and his enthusiasm was infectious; we loved sharing that ecstasy and enthusiasm with him. We had wonderful fun every day. And after our farewell meal at the Stanley Hotel in Nairobi , we danced down the hall to our rooms.

As many of you know, my friend Mary died suddenly in November. She, too, loved and admired Dr. Mehner, and this note carries that message from her as well.

Peyton Wooldridge ’68
This is sad news indeed, with the mercy being that Dr. M is no longer suffering on this earth. I recall him my freshman year biology - and his famed lectures on the robin and the"blue footed booby". We all laughed then, and now, I will smile fondly and think of Dr. M. when I hear or see this bfb reference.