Dr. John Mack Kingsmore

On November 17, 2019, Dr. John Mack Kingsmore peacefully passed away at age 82, surrounded by his loving family. Mack was the son of Carrie and John Burdette Kingsmore and former husband of Carol Kingsmore. Mack is survived by his wife Mary Ellen Duncan, his brother Kenny Kingsmore, his three daughters Stacey Breidenstein, Lauren Kingsmore Gilbert, Maureen Kingsmore, his stepdaughter Kate Dickens, his nine grandchildren Seamus, Justin, Finnbar, Hannah, Hank, Ciara, Matthew, Madelein, Emma and his nephew Jeffrey Kingsmore.

Mack was born in Union, South Carolina and came to Baltimore at an early age playing basketball at the Middle River Boys Club and graduating from Kenwood High School in 1954. He then earned his bachelor's degree at West Chester University in 1958. He continued his education while teaching physical education at Kenwood High School, earning a master's and a PhD at the University of Maryland, College Park in 1968.

Mack served as: Dean of Instruction at Essex and Dundalk Community Colleges from 1968-1979; President of Catonsville Community College from 1979-1989; and President of the Community College of Alleghany County (CCAC) in Pennsylvania from 1989-1999. Following his retirement, Mack was inducted President Emeritus of CCAC.

Mack has an incredible list of athletic, academic and professional accomplishments, including being inducted into Kenwood Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008, lettering in four sports at West Chester University, being inducted into its basketball hall of fame in 1984, playing 5 years of professional soccer in the American Soccer League and winning golf club championships at many clubs including Cattail Creek, Sparrows Point, Maryland Golf and Country Club, The Valley Course at Cliffs and many others. An avid golfer, Mack had five lifetime hole-in-ones, with three in one week.

In his professional career, Mack strengthened ties with business and industry in his leadership positions as a community college president, creating the most successful community college foundation in Maryland, initiating the first community college honors program in the state, and creating the Catonsville Community College international education program. Mack also served as representative of the 17 Maryland community college presidents to negotiate the largest funding increase for community colleges in state history. At CCAC Mack fostered a culture of collaboration over competition and was successful at unifying CCAC into one multi-campus institution and secured accreditation for the college. He created an honors program and women's council and was known at both institutions for his keen ability to address funding issues and operational efficiencies. He served on numerous Boards and Advisory committees including Boy Scouts of America, Dundalk YMCA, Howard Bank, and has received many honors and awards for leadership excellence.

Most importantly Mack was a loving son, brother, husband, father, and grandfather and his presence will live in them forever. He enjoyed traveling extensively with his wife, spending time with their friends old and new. He was always there to coach a softball team, give advice in a tennis match, and taught his wife, children and grandchildren how to play golf with patience, love and a competitive spirit. He was the Santa Claus, the anchor of the family, and his presence filled a room and made any gathering special just by being there. The world was a better place with him in it, and he will be forever loved, remembered, and cherished by his family and friends.

In his retirement Mack founded a scholarship endowment that has provided financial aid to over 150 CCBC college students since 1999. The family asks that those wishing to honor Mack make a donation to the John M. Kingsmore Endowment Scholarship/CCBC Foundation Inc. 7200 Sollers Point Road, Baltimore, MD 21222 or online www.ccbcmd.edu. A memorial service is being planned. If you would like more information contact Lauren Kingsmore Gilbert, LAKingsmore@gmail.com