Born December 19, 1936 in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Earl Jenkins, Sr and Effie Mae Francis Mayer Jenkins.
He was a musician drummer both classical and modern jazz (hard bop) and blues. He was a microbiologist, clinical chemist and organizer. He was a world traveler and teacher of his crafts to students in India, Pakistan and Africa. He believed in a life of service to those less fortunate than himself and he acted appropriately on that belief.
After graduation from Tulsa Central High School, he joined the U.S. Navy as a musician and attended the Naval School of Music in Washington D.C. After which he was assigned to Fleet Bands in Puerto Rico, Guantanamo, Cuba and Philadelphia. Upon his discharge from the Navy in 1960, he attended Oklahoma State University majoring in microbiology and chemistry.In 1961 he fell madly in love with Amy Gail Laneer and married her.
They moved to California after completing a year at OSU where he took a job at Stanford Research Institute working in cancer research and virology while continuing his education at San Jose State University. Upon graduation with Distinguished Honors in Microbiology and Chemistry, he continued working at SRI on the NASA Biosatellite Project. Upon completion of that contract, he was given his own lab under the mentorship of Chozo Mitoma, an internationally recognized biochemist at SRI where David provided feasibility studies for a variety of projects as requested by the several doctor staff in biochemistry, biology and microbiology.
Gail gave birth to Adam David and Rachel Gail Jenkins in 1967 and 1969 respectively. The proud father of two young children and husband, In 1971 we made the move to Port Angeles, WA and opened the Mt. Angeles Grocery and Delicatessen. David worked at a variety of jobs to support his family and closed the store as a non-moneymaker in 1973.
In 1974 David began working at St John's Hospital in Port Townsend as a Medical Technologist. At that time he took the exam for Medical Technologist and received his certification in that field. During that time, the hospital became Jefferson General Hospital then Jefferson Healthcare. David and representatives of all departments other than management, began successfully organizing the union that continues to represent hospital employees today. David also organized two chapters of Veterans for Peace to protest the bombing of Iraq and the storage of depleted uranium munitions at Indian Island Naval Ammunition Depot.
David retired in 2000,but during his time there, he took time off to serve two years in the Peace Corps in the Solomon Islands and teaching in Peshawar and Quetta , Pakistan; Dharmapuri, India and Kenya, Africa.
David's love for his work in Chemistry and Microbiology never waivered. Upon his retirement in 2000 he continued his part time work as a jazz and classical musician, performing regularly with the Port angeles and Port Townsend Symphonies and several jazz groups. His love of gardening had him planting over thirty trees and many flowering shrubs and vegetable gardens at his beloved home on Discovery Bay.
Eventually, on December 16th, prostate cancer took its toll on his body and he succumbed to his illness. He was unable to continue any of his beloved music activities, gardening or backpacking and climbing in the Olympics. David was deeply loved by his family, friends, and community and will be greatly missed. He passed away peacefully, at home, surrounded by loved ones.
