Donald L. Kimmel Jr., beloved biology professor who inspired generations of students at Davidson College, died peacefully at home on August 20, 2024, with Meg, his devoted wife of 41 years, by his side and surrounded by loving family and friends.
The oldest of three boys, Don was born in Swedesboro, New Jersey, on April 15, 1935, to Jessie Elizabeth Brown and Donald Loraine Kimmel. As a child, Don grew up in Ann Arbor, New Orleans, Waco, and finally back in South Jersey, following the teaching career of his father.
Like his teacher mother, Don graduated from Swarthmore College. After receiving his MD from Temple University and PhD from Johns Hopkins University, he began his teaching career at Brown. In 1971, Davidson recruited him to head its Biology Department, where he taught for nearly 30 years, educating hundreds of future healthcare professionals. His joy of teaching was evident in the way he embraced the larger stories and context around subjects such as spider cognition; “Biology for Poets” for non-science majors; embryology; and other intensive pre-med courses. He famously taught genetics in the character and garb of Gregor Mendel. His innovative childbirth seminar explored the biology and experience of pregnancy and birth across cultures.
In 1997, grateful alumni awarded Don with Davidson’s highest teaching honor, the Hunter-Hamilton Love of Teaching Award. After retirement from Davidson in 2000, he taught with University of Virginia’s Semester at Sea. When Meg’s work took them to Maine, he taught at Bates, falling in love with the people and the land and even the weather.
Don was deeply and joyfully domestic. He married June Miller in 1960 and began his life as a father with their four children. In 1983, he married Margaret (Meg) Boykin, adding her two young children to the fold. Together they blended families and welcomed another son in 1986. This combination—and many kin by choice—created a wide, diverse, and lively extended family. For more than half a century, he led the family in building sandcastles, eating crabs, and counting pelicans at their annual Sunset Beach reunion.
Don was open and interested in others, often falling into conversations with strangers, keeping servers at his table for too long just to get to know them, visiting the kitchen to thank the chef, and lingering, happy to hear others’ stories. Don also sat easily in the spirit of his Quaker upbringing, appreciating the silence where it came.
Don was active in his community, including with community theater and Habitat for Humanity. He always had a book going. He followed the Red Sox and many other sports, and enjoyed movies, documentaries, and re-runs of silly comedies. He loved music, with a penchant for opera, Christmas carols, and all manner of vocal performance. He would eat everything, sometimes from his neighbor’s plate or little past an expiration date. He loved fine food, drink, and travel, and was the consummate host.
Don’s family extends thanks to the compassionate staff of Hospice & Palliative Care of Cabarrus County, and especially to his nurse, Beth, and aide, Latwanya.
Don is survived by his wife, Meg; children, Stephen (Carla Kimmel), Charity (Robert Malkemes), Christopher, Benjamin (Lori Nofziger), Wilson Kello, Robin Kello, and Jesse Kimmel; five grandchildren; one great-grandchild, a legion of nieces and nephews, and many who think of him as a father; brothers, Charles (Reida) and Richard (Susan).
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can go to Hospice of Cabarrus County or the Davidson College Kimmel Scholarship (choose Other and write in “Kimmel Scholarship”). The family can be reached at Post Office Box 1974, Davidson, North Carolina 28036.
The family plans to celebrate Don’s full and loving life on October 19th at 3 pm at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church.