John J. McKetta Jr. Honored for Service to Local Senior Citizens

John McKetta receiving his Philanthropist of the Year Award from LeadingAge TexasProfessor Emeritus John J. McKetta Jr. received the Philanthropist of the Year Award for his outstanding service to local senior citizens from LeadingAge Texas, a non-profit servicing the needs of Texas retirees, at the organization’s 54th Annual Meeting and Trade Show in Austin, Texas.

LeadingAge knows John McKetta as the “man with a golden heart” due to his contributions to making Westminster Retirement Community a great place to live and work.  He is a generous contributor to Westminster’s Friendship Endowment Fund, which serves the purpose of supporting residents who become unable to meet their financial obligations due to hardship.

McKetta is a major contributor to Westminster’s Scholarship Fund that helps deserving employees further their education through an Educational Reimbursement Program. He is also a generous contributor and a big advocate for the Employee Christmas Fund that helps give monetary gifts to all of Westminster’s hard-working employees who make the community what it is.

Outside of Westminster, McKetta continues his charitable trend. As Professor Emeritus at UT Austin, he has sponsored hundreds of college scholarships through his own Scholarship Program and still calls all of his former students on their birthday after the age of 65.  This adds up to an average of six or seven calls a day-a traditional he still continues at 97 years of age.

McKetta’s generosity, thoughtfulness and love are an affirmation of the kindness and humanity that still exists in the world. No community can survive without individuals who perform a selfless service so that others can benefit. It is Westminster’s pleasure to recognize such a great hero and the Department of Chemical Engineering’s honor to carry his namesake.

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