Dr. Jonathan F.K. Earle

During the early morning hours of Thursday, June 2nd, 2022, Dr. Jonathan Franklin Kipling Earle, loving father, husband, grandfather, uncle, brother, distinguished engineer, Associate Dean Emeritus, Kiwanian, mentor, lodge brother, and beloved friend, passed away after an extended illness. Jonathan, or Kip as he was known to close family and friends, was born in Goodwill, St. James in Jamaica on April 12th, 1940 to Stanford and Eunice Earle, he was one of 12 children, but was a part of a larger extended family that ran into the thousands around the world.

In Jamaica, he was educated at Goodwill Primary School, Kingston College where he was Head Boy. He went away to school in the United Kingdom and attended Portsmouth Polytechnic in England. He received engineering training with London Metropolitan Water Board, and was the first Jamaican Managing Director of Howard Humphrey’s and Sons, Consulting Engineers in Jamaica. He also served as the Chief Engineer of the National Water Commission. In 1974, he became the Chairman and Managing Director of Earle and Associates Ltd. He was a member of the University Lodge of the West Indies. In 1981, he emigrated to the United States in order to attend the University of Florida (UF), where he subsequently received both his Masters Degree, and Ph.D., from the College of Engineering. He joined the faculty of the Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering in 1987. In 1992, he was appointed Assistant Dean for Student Affairs for the University of Florida College of Engineering. He was later promoted to Association Dean. When he retired in 2007, he was awarded the title of Associate Dean Emeritus. From 2006 to 2014, he served on the Executive Council of Tau Beta Pi, The Engineering Honor Society, and also served on the Florida Board of Professional Engineers. Throughout his life, he won numerous awards and accolades, and recognitions. The culmination of his life’s work however, occurring in 2007, when he was called to the White House in Washington DC, where he received the National Science Foundation Presidential Award of Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring from then President George W. Bush.

Jonathan was a loving husband to Yvonne Earle, whom he met in Scotland during the very first Jamaica Independence celebrations in 1962. On March 19th, 1966, he married Yvonne in England. They relocated to Jamaica and raised three children, Kevin, Celia, and Jeremy. In Jamaica, he had a thriving career in the engineering profession. During that time, he rose to the top of his profession while always mentoring younger engineering professionals. A devout Christian, during this time in Jamaica, he also designed Boulevard Baptist Church, where he and his family were members and he sang on the choir and served as Director of the Youth Department. In Gainesville, He attended Westside Baptist Church, where he sang on the choir, and taught Sunday School along with Yvonne. He was also a Distinguished President of the Kiwanis Club of Gainesville, a Distinguished Lt. Governor of the Florida District of Kiwanis International and held numerous Florida District Chair positions. In 2015, after living for 34 years in Gainesville, Jonathan and Yvonne, made the move from Gainesville, Florida to South Florida to live with their daughter Celia and be closer to their family. He and Yvonne became members of the Kiwanis Club of Lauderdale Lakes upon their relocation. Since its inception, he served on the Christmas in July committee that provides necessities for Broward County’s homeless children and Chaired the Gift Distribution subcommittee for numerous years.

Time and space are too short to recount all of the extraordinary things that Jonathan accomplished during his life. He was extremely humble and did not seek awards or attention. He was passionate about people, and related to people from all walks of life. Through his work with the University of Florida, he was able to positively impact the lives of thousands of students. Many of those students will recall that those many Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners where upwards of a hundred students, especially from CARIBSA and STEPUP, at each event, were welcomed with open arms into the Earle family home. His legacy is a legacy of love, mentorship, brilliance, and lives changed for the better. He left an indelible mark on peoples lives that can be rarely matched.

We know that Jonathan is celebrating his new phase of life in Heaven with his wife Yvonne. He left the world a better place than he found it. All we can do is thank God for blessing us with such an extraordinary human being.

Jonathan was predeceased by his wife Yvonne, but he is survived by his three children Kevin, Celia, and Jeremy, daughters-in-law Nattaliah and Hillary; granddaughter Gabriella; sister Dr. Sylvia Lawson, and brother Deryk Wallace, and sister-in-law Alda, nieces and nephews, grandpup Tobie, and a host of thousands of other sisters, and brothers, and “adopted” children. The family would also like to thank his aide, Ingrid Masters-Wigan, who was faithful to him until the end. Without a doubt, he fought the good fight throughout his life, and he finished his race with the highest honor. He kept the faith! May his soul Rest in Peace!

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that you please donate to his favorite charity, Christmas in July, inc. This can be done online at www.christmasinjulyinc.com or via check to Christmas in July, Inc., 6208 White Oak Lane, Tamarac, FL 33319

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.baileymemorial.com for the Earle family.