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John W. Inman
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Born in Portland, OR on Jul. 25, 1940
Departed on Jun. 28, 2010 and resided in Salinas, CA.
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Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010
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Please click on the links above for locations, times, maps, and directions.
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John Inman was born July 25, 1940 in Portland, Oregon. He died peacefully with his wife and daughter at his side June 28, 2010 at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital following a stroke.
John grew up in northeastern Oregon where his family owned and operated a cattle ranch in Haines and a small grocery store in Baker City. He worked the ranch and store with mother, Gertrude, his father, Marion, and brother, Roger. The family spent many days together hunting, fishing, and exploring.
Active FFA membership in high school led John to the first of what became innumerable ag-related trips. He attended Oregon State University, graduating with degrees in both Agriculture and Agricultural Engineering. At a university social he met Jody, his wife of 46 years. Married after Jody's graduation, they spent a year as "starving graduate students" at OSU.
In 1965 John was offered a position with University of California Cooperative Extension as a farm advisor, agricultural engineering. The couple moved to Salinas, and John began his career in ag. At Extension he ran research studies and helped design and modify new farm machinery to meet the needs of vegetable, strawberry, grape, and field crop growers. His projects included equipment and techniques for seeding, transplanting, harvesting, and pest and disease control. In the course of his 29 years with Extension, he spent time as Acting County Director for both Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, but he really preferred working with machinery over being an administrator.
After much deliberation, in 1993 John accepted early retirement from Extension and continued his private consulting full time. Working with manufacturers, dealers, importers, distributors and growers, he searched the world for equipment appropriate for California agriculture. He loved equipment shows, from Tulare to Paris's SIMA and Bologna's EIMA, and never missed a chance to see a new product. While his high school English teacher (his mother Gertrude) may never have believed someone would pay John to write, he began writing articles and columns for several ag publications. He consulted, wrote, travelled and networked until the day of his stroke, always aware that he was one of the few who were truly passionate about their work.
John was appointed to the Hartnell College Board of Trustees in 1984 and re-elected until he chose to retire in 1999. Board President for 3 years, he devoted many hours in the interest of the College, its faculty and students. He continued supporting local education as a member and officer of the Hartnell College Foundation Board until his death. Blending his interest in ag and education, he was a Founding Board member of Monterey County Agricultural Education. In 1970 John started the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce Ag Business Day tours which showed many people the sophistication of agricultural production here in the valley. He led Ag Business Day tours for 29 years and was actively involved in Ag Against Hunger, serving on their Board for nearly a decade.
John and Jody bought the first of eleven RVs in 1969. They visited 45 continental states, including multiple trips to Alaska, and missed few of the Canadian provinces. Oregon and Washington were their favorite destinations, and they visited the Northwest nearly every year. Wherever they went, John was looking at farm equipment and talking to people about local ag. He was interested in anything mechanical, from farm equipment to manufacturing facilities, and was a great "do it yourselfer".
John is survived by his wife, Joyce "Jody" Inman of Salinas, daughter, Janet Sutton and husband Rob of Anacortes, WA, sister-in-law, Karen Inman, of Tallahassee, FL and nieces, Ann Gaylord, Amy Demins, Jill Marie Inman-Ryan, and Marla Blair and their families.
Internment of his ashes will be at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Baker City, OR at a future date.
A memorial celebration of John's life will be held at the Salinas Elks Lodge Thursday August 5, 2010 from 4-7 PM. There will be brief remarks abour John at 5:30pm. His family requests that those who knew John come together to celebrate a life well-lived and a man much loved.
In lieu of flowers Jody and Janet would appreciate your support of Monterey County Agricultural Education, Inc., Ag Against Hunger, Inc., or the Hartnell College Foundation.
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