Reverend Dr. John Gingrich passed away on Monday, December 7th, moving forward into the next phase of his journey. We miss him very much. He served as the Cobb Institute’s first Chairperson, and looked over many of us as an anxious but loving parent watching his children start a new adventure—the Claremont Institute for Process Studies, and then creatively advancing even further—the Cobb Institute: A Community for Process and Practice. He guided us in our first steps, offering us calm presence, practical advice, humor, and quiet, thoughtful wisdom. He presided over our board meetings with a gentleness and kindness we so admired, pulling and pushing us into a cohesive whole so that we could accomplish many projects and enjoy the journey along the way. He was always urging us to trust each other, and he was a shining example of that trust. We thought then, and think now, that the world needs more John Gingriches.

John was a wonderful teacher, and loved being one of John Cobb’s “oldest students.” He studied with Dr. Cobb and completed his PhD at Claremont Graduate University in 1973. He also held an MDiv, and began his Ministry as a Campus Minister at the University of La Verne where he eventually served as the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, embedding process thought into much of his work. He and his beloved wife Jacki also served as the Directors of Brethren Colleges Abroad, an academic exchange program in Germany. John was a professional choral singer with the Los Angeles Master Chorale and the Roger Wagner Chorale (although we never could get him to sing for the Board!).

John and Jacki are long-time Claremont residents and devoted members of many “communities of communities of communities.” They are proud parents of 2 adult sons, John and Joel, and 2 grandsons, Gus and Hans.