John M. Gates, Phd

John Milton Gates PhD, 70, of Kingston, a University of Rhode Island professor of Resource Economics for 39 years, died comfortably on hospice at Kent Hospital after a year of fighting pancreatic cancer. Born January 21st, 1941 to Minnie (Bishop) Gates and Irvine Gates in Nova Scotia, he obtained his undergraduate degree from McGill University's McDonald campus, and studied further at the University of California Berkley, where he completed his PhD. He moved to Kingston in 1969 with his late wife Jane Susan (Krohn) Gates, where he was tenured at URI. John is survived by his devoted companion Carol Gibbons, his two sons Jonathan and Sander, Jonathan's wife Nikki and daughter Daphne, and Sander's wife Karen and son Cameron. John is also survived by his brother Carleton, and sisters Marion Waddell, Doris Thorpe, and Barbara Gates. Dr. Gates pushed for the benefit of his graduate students and loved teaching, but also worked with and inspired the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. He promoted the protection of natural resources through novel approaches such as individual transferable quotas, knowing that the inefficiency of an industry is an important unseen cost to the resource, worker and consumer alike. Calling hours will be at Avery-Storti Funeral Home in Wakefield from 10AM-noon, Saturday March 26th, followed by a service at noon at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Professor John M. Gates Memorial Fund C/O URI Foundation, 79 Upper College Road, Kingston, RI 02881.