John Stallkamp

March 6, 1926 - June 28, 2026

John was born in Los Angeles, the firstborn son of Albert and Lucille Stallkamp. John and his two younger brothers moved with their parents between California and the Midwest as necessary during the depression for his father's work opportunities, eventually settling in South Pasadena. After graduating from SPHS, he enlisted in the Navy and was assigned with an elite group of men to the Officer Training School at Doane College in Nebraska for advanced studies in mathematics, science and engineering designed to advance the war effort. John was quickly transferred to continue his studies at Columbia University in New York City.

John was fond of recalling his experiences as a young man "in the big city" but he never let the social world that opened to him affect his studies. John received his Bachelor of Science degree from Columbia in 1946 and was elected into the Tau Beta Pi Honor Society, a national honor society for Engineers, in recognition of his placing in the top 5th of his Columbia graduating class.

The Navy then transferred John to the California Institute of Technology (Cal Tech) where he earned his Master of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1947. Having completed this course of study, and his contract with the Navy, John was hired by a Cal Tech professor to join his team doing research at the NASA run Jet Propulsion Laboratory. As an employee of JPL in the late 1940s, when it was still associated with Cal Tech, John had the opportunity to work toward his Doctoral degree concurrent with his work projects, and he was awarded his Doctor of Philosophy Degree, cum laude, for Advanced Studies in Electrical Engineering and Physics from Cal Tech in 1954. During this time there, he also met and married his first wife, Emilie Graeber, who worked in computer programming on campus.

John's most notable achievement during his career at JPL was his work on the NASA led Mariner program for interplanetary research, specifically the Mariner-Mars probes in the 1960s and 1970s. John always said what he loved most about working at JPL was the scientific environment and the opportunity to put his math and science knowledge to good use. After 44 years of service, John retired from JPL in 1991.

John and Emilie settled into a home in San Marino where they raised their daughter Emilie Barbara. John's pastimes when not working included solving puzzles, math, word or jigsaw, he loved them all. He also had a love of trains, primarily operational steam engines, but he also enjoyed building and working on his HO gauge train set. When John wanted to relax, he listened to his vast collection of classical music.

Following the death of his wife Emilie, John married Nancy McEniry Laughlin '42, a friend since grammar school in 1990 and added world travel, always involving trains, to his pastimes. Nancy provided companionship in his retirement years as well as the honorary position of "Grandpa John" to her nine grandchildren. After Nancy's passing in 2003, John cherished the company of his lifelong friend, Katherine LeMelle Ballard. Having grown up together, they shared a lifetime of memories during Katherine's final years in Pasadena. 

John was preceded in death by his first wife Emilie; his daughter Emilie Barbara Stallkamp; second wife Nancy; his parents; and younger brothers Louis Stallkamp and Roger W Stallkamp '53. John is survived by nieces and nephews and extended family.

Cabot and Sons, July 17, 2026