Jack Wilson Roark

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” oE 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, and generously gave to whoever would take the

extras. 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 down Fourth

Plain Boulevard to go shoot rats at the dump. Jack and Loretta married in June 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 Wilson Roark, accompanied

them 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 at ALCOA aluminum plant from high school where he started as a

laborer and ended as a Supervisor, until he was given a golden-handshake retirement at the

age of 48. He then had fun gallivanting around town, doing home projects and going to the

movies (one of his favorite things until the day he died) until his two years were up and he

was eligible to work again, where he finally landed as a Shipping & Receiving Supervisor

with USNR, where he worked with his son, David, until he retired at the age of 62 when he

and Loretta 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 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, Canada and 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 on the boat in Lake

Chelan. During the winter breaks there was always a family Snow Bunny Lodge sledding

day. All these trips included so many friends and family. Those home movies are priceless

to his family.

When the kids grew up and left the nest, that didn’t stop Jack from taking Loretta to

Reno for gambling, the San Juan Islands where they would take their boat and go

kerplunking – ambling, fishing, and dropping anchor for the night on their boat, wintering in

Yuma, Arizona with family and friends, and finally settling in their home oE Sandridge,

enjoying the view of their pretty lawn, the deer and bears, and watching the sun set.

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 staE 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.