Jack William Jenkins died on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014 in Tacoma, Wash., at the age of 97 years and 7 months.
Jack grew up in Medford, Oklahoma, then went to a preparatory high school on a college campus in Warrensburg, Mo. Jack spent his freshman year in college at Murray School of Agriculture in southeast Oklahoma. In summer of the 1939, Jack came to Oregon with his aunt and grandmother to visit an aunt and uncle at their ranch outside Haines. At the end of that summer, he decided to stay in Oregon and go to school at Eastern Oregon College (now Eastern Oregon University). Jack played on the football team, worked in the athletic department and at the school newspaper.
During his junior year at Eastern Oregon College, World War II broke out. Jack went to Portland and enlisted in the Marine Corps. The Marines sent him to Ohio and then North Carolina, where he became a chief warrant officer. His airwing was then sent to Hawaii. Jack spent 2.5 years in Hawaii as a chief warrant officer helping to win the war in the Pacific. When the war ended, Jack returned to the ranch at Haines and to La Grande and resumed his college career – earning a bachelor’s degree in education.
Jack started his teaching and coaching life in Imbler, and was also an assistant football coach at La Grande High School. He then went onto Wallowa where he spent several happy years, teaching and coaching several sports. Jack then returned to La Grande and joined the high school teaching staff as a history teacher and football coach. After a time, Jack was offered the position of Assistant Principal at La Grande High School. During this time he married his wife – Roberta, who was also a teacher at the high school, in 1952.
Jack was offered and accepted the position of principal at Nyssa High School in 1954. Jack earned a master’s degree in education in the mid-1950s from the University of Oregon. He earned a Principal’s Certificate in the 1950s, as well. In the early 1960s he earned a Superintendent’s Certificate. Jack was offered and accepted the position of principal at Oregon City High School in 1959.
Jack enjoyed his time at Oregon City High School very much but the family’s growing desire to return to Eastern Oregon lead to Jack accepting the position of principal at Hermiston High School in 1960, at the invitation of his friend, mentor, and Hermiston School Superintendent Armand Larive. Jack first became friends with Armand and Martha Larive when they both were in Wallowa in the late 1940s.
Jack spent 18 years as Hermiston High School principal, from 1960 to 1978. Jack helped oversee the growth in Hermiston as a community and a school system and participated in the development of an evolving curriculum to meet the needs of students in the 1960s and 1970s. Jack was very involved in the growth of vocational education at both the state level and at Hermiston High School.
During his time as Hermiston High School principal, Jack was very committed to observing and supporting all activities of his students. He rarely missed a ball game, a concert, or an event. Jack had a very hands-on approach to the education of the students under his care. Jack spearheaded the creation of the Hermiston Ski Club, which provided countless junior high and high school students the opportunity to learn to ski at Spout Springs and Anthony Lakes ski areas. Jack was an avid cross country skier into his late 60s.
In 1978, the opportunity arose to become assistant superintendent of schools at Hermiston. Jack had that role until his retirement in 1982. However, Jack didn’t exactly retire; he continued to work close to full time at the district for another almost two years, at the request of the superintendent.
In the mid-1980s, Jack was elected to the board of the Umatilla County Educational Service District. Jack served two terms on the board – participating in county and state efforts to improve educational opportunities in Umatilla County. Jack was an active supporter of bond issues that helped to create some of the educational infrastructure that Hermiston now enjoys.
From the early 1960s until the early 2000s, Jack was very involved in the civic efforts of the Hermiston Kiwanis Club. Along with his family, Jack was active in St. John’s Episcopal Church until his death. Jack was also a member of the Hermiston Elks Club since the 1960s.
Until 2006, Jack spent much of the summer and fall of his retirement years at his beloved lakeside cabin at McCall, Idaho, in the Central Idaho Mountains.
Starting in 2003, Jack began to be slowed a bit by failing eyesight but remained keenly interested in politics, the growth of his community, and the quality of education provided in the Hermiston School District.
The last few years, Jack remained as active as his eyesight and ultimately his body would allow, with the support of his sons, a group of very special caring friends, and a wonderful caregiver and dear friend – Tasha. Jack remained mentally vibrant and curious and interested in making the most out of life until his passing.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014 at 1 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Hermiston. Burial will be held on Friday, Oct. 17, 2014 at 1: p.m., (MDT) at Hillcrest Cemetery in Weiser, Idaho.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Jack W. Jenkins Memorial Scholarship Fund, (Eastern Oregon University), c/o Burns Mortuary of Hermiston, Box 289, Hermiston, Ore., 97838.
Please send condolences at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
