Hall of Fame Member Biographies

John Cameron Muhlenberg Starkey

After completing a bachelor’s degree from Fordham University in 1977, Starkey embarked on a long and honored teaching career. From high school to college, Starkey gained recognition as a beloved teacher. He completed a master of theological studies from Weston School of Theology in 1981. 

After years of study, prayer, and discernment, Starkey decided in 1981 to leave his preparation for the Jesuit Order and become a Quaker. 

Starkey was a teaching assistant at Boston University's School of Theology from 1993-1997, where he completed his Ph.D. in religious and theological studies in 1998. Following graduation, he joined the faculty at Oklahoma City University, teaching there for 21 years. His dedication kept him working through the fall of 2019. Starkey passed away on January 11, 2020.

At OCU, Starkey was involved in numerous campus committees, activities and service-learning initiatives. He earned many awards, including the Outstanding Faculty Award in 2006, the Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award in 2014-15, and the Excellence in Teaching Award for Full-Time Faculty in 2009. Additionally, he received the Distinguished Honors Professor in 2001, 2005, 2008, 2012 and 2019. Starkey inspired students, colleagues, and friends because of his wisdom, kindness, understanding, sincerity, unwavering faith, and availability. One student recollected, “He could always find the best way to explain something to everyone in the room. He explained things three ways: advanced, commonsense, and funny (not necessarily in that order).”

John loved the classroom and his books, but he was equally at home and happy enjoying the beauty of nature, as could be seen during his St. Francis-like walks on campus, finding beauty in the trees, flowers and native plants. He also spent many days hiking the mountain ranges of New England with friends. Another of his students noted that, “the way Starkey looked at trees is the way we looked at Starkey.”