Jack was known as “one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet,” with a smile as big as his heart that shone through his eyes. Jack and wife Loretta moved to the Long Beach peninsula from Vancouver, Washington in 1996, where they settled in the “family compound” off Sandridge Road next to Loretta’s two late brothers, Howard Rayburn and Robert “Bob” Rayburn. While on the peninsula they fished Buoy 10, crabbed, and dug and shelled more clams than they could eat, generously giving away the extras to whomever would take them. Jack and Loretta were members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, where Jack volunteered for the St. Vincent de Paul, delivering items to local families, mowed the lawns for both St. Mary’s and McGowan’s Church, and faithfully attended mass every Sunday with Loretta until his Parkinson’s Disease made it impossible for him to navigate.

   Jack met the love his life, Loretta, when they were in junior high school in Vancouver. Their favorite story was how they and their friends would carry their .22 rifles while walking down Fourth Plain Boulevard on their way to the dump to shoot rats. Jack and Loretta married on July 24, 1954, right after Loretta’s high school graduation, and one year after Jack’s. They soon started their family, but that didn’t stop the fun. Their first born, David, would accompany them as a newborn to their favorite date night – the drive-in movie theatre—and eventually all four of their children would accompany them to the drive-in for years to come.

   Jack worked for the ALCOA aluminum plant for 30 years, starting in high school as a summer laborer, and ending as a supervisor with an early retirement package at the age of 48. Jack then enjoyed a couple of years gallivanting around town, doing home projects, going to the movies (one of his all-time favorite things to do), and lifting weights at Lake Shore Athletic Club, which was a life-long ritual for him, becoming a bit of a local legend among the high school kids who worked out alongside him (385 pounds was Jack’s best bench press). Following his two-year break in work, he became the Shipping & Receiving Supervisor with USNR, until fully retiring at the age of 62, when he and Loretta then settled in Long Beach.

   Jack loved taking home movies of Christmas mornings and countless camping trips. Jack made sure he took his kids camping and fishing and sightseeing as much as he could from weekends at Cape Disappointment, to the Washington Lakes Spirit, Yale and Merwin, to trips to Pelton Dam Reservoir for watering skiing and fishing, to Cove Palisades, to the Olympic Peninsula, to longer vacations traveling to Yellowstone, through Canada and down to California to Disneyland, Marineland and the San Diego Zoo. As the kids became teenagers, he took them all waterskiing on the Columbia River and spent many summers boating on Lake Chelan. During the snowy winters there was always a family Snow Bunny Lodge sledding day. All these trips included so many friends and family. Jack’s home movies are priceless to his family.

   Jack loved watching his kids’ sports, rarely missing a baseball game, track meet, wrestling match or football game. He kept meticulous records of all the winnings and losings and saved every newspaper article where his kids were mentioned. He also loved anything motorized and loved helping the boys fix up and repair their go-carts, graduating to motorcycles and then to cars. Another favorite family activity was riding their motorcycles on Larch Mountain.

   When the kids grew up and left the nest, that didn’t stop Jack from taking Loretta to Reno for gambling, to the San Juan Islands for “Ker plunking” - ambling around the islands, fishing, and dropping anchor for the night – to wintering in Yuma, Arizona with family and friends, and finally settling in their home off Sandridge Road, enjoying the view of their pretty lawn, the deer, bears, and killdeer, and watching the sun go down.

   Until the day Jack died, he loved looking all the pictures of his grandchildren, and hearing about all their lives – everything was interesting to him – and he wanted to know what everybody was doing and how they were doing it. He and Loretta are the grandchildren’s biggest fans.

   Jack’s final years were spent at home with Loretta caring for him, with the support of family and amazing neighbors. A year ago, Jack settled into assisted care at Golden Sands, where the staff loved and cared for him, with Loretta at his side, until he took his last breath. We were all blessed to have Jack in our lives, and his nice and friendly demeanor serves as an example for all of us to always be nice and smile.

   Jack is survived by his wife of 71 years, Loretta Marie Roark; sons, David W. Roark and wife Kathleen (Rooney) Roark; Robert H. Roark and wife Tamara (Lippincott) Roark; and daughter Julie Roark Dod and husband, Barry W. Dod. Jack and Loretta lost their son, Steven Howard Roark in 1981 at the age of 21, next to whom Jack will be laid to rest. Jack’s surviving sisters are Sandy Thomas of Vancouver, Washington, and Sally Zahn of Olympia, Washington.

   Jack’s legacy continues with his grandchildren, Robert Ryan (deceased), Joshua (deceased), Davina, Christopher, Jack, Bronte, and Stevie. His great grandchildren are Gabriella, Shane (deceased), Fenix, Tristan, Kira, Ruby, Violet, Shay, and Arya. His great-great grandchildren are Oliver and Clyde.

   Funeral mass for Jack will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Seaview, Washington, on Saturday, June 27, at 1 p.m., with fellowship and refreshments to follow in the church hall. Graveside service will be Tuesday, June 30, at 1p.m. at Evergreen Memorial Gardens in Vancouver, Washington.