Hall of Fame
At 5’-8', Jon Newkirk was, pound for pound, one of the best athletes ever to don the George Fox colors. A natural who was blessed with speed, quickness, toughness and intelligence, he starred in football and track and field, played varsity basketball, and played one year of baseball. A stalwart on the football team from 1962-65, he played both offense and defense, taking part in almost every down for four years. He was a starting quarterback and occasional wide receiver on offense, and played safety on defense. He was elected as team captain all four years. In track, Jon held school records in the 880, the mile, and the two-mile run, according to Hall of Fame track coach Rich Allen. Since graduating, his career and life have exemplified what it means to be a George Fox graduate. He was a conscientious objector for two years during the Vietnam War, and spent most of his time in Southeast Asia conducting relief work operations. He later worked in New York assisting farmers and implementing farmers' rights legislation. He has a PhD from Washington State University, and recently retired as a professor and agricultural economist from WSU.
