Jack Gambs, aka "Capt. Jack", was born in Fresno, CA, November 25, 1941. Upon graduation from McClane High School, Jack joined the Air Force. He served two tours of duty in Viet Nam as an aircraft mechanic, flight engineer and load master. According to Jack's brother Jim, "Jack was a stinker who enjoyed teasing his younger brother, who loved him dearly." The boys were close growing up and into adulthood. They shared a lot of the same interests especially in boating. Jack was a thinker and an inventor. His brother relays that Jack was incredibly and amazingly mechanically inclined and had a "mind like a steel trap." Even as a kid he would stand behind the repairmen and tutor them as to what they should do to fix the item........much to their amazement, shaking heads, and chagrin. I met Jack in June of 1988, when he asked me to dance one evening. He introduced himself as, "Jack....just basic Jack". Well, that was certainly an understatement.....there was nothing BASIC about Jack. He was exceptional with an endearing sense of humor. He had a way about him of making people laugh with AND at him. He loved being the center of attention. We were married November 19, 1989. At that time Jack owned and live on his boat, the Island Mirage. He was a true captain at heart which led to his endearing nickname of "Capt. Jack". We then purchased a "bigger and better" boat and lived on it for over 5 years in Alamitos Bay. Her name was the Magic Castle and Jack and I were the King and Queen of the Magic Castle from the land of Serenity. Those were the days! They were incredible years. We brought her down from San Francisco with Jim and Lou, his wife, as crew. What a thrilling adventure! There were so many stories to share and exchange that we laughed ourselves to tears. Jack worked at McDonnel Douglas which morphed into Boeing. He was a Master Plaster/Plastic Tooling engineer. When we sold the boat and came back home, the garage became his "SHOP" where he could design and build all sorts of things. That led him to design and build a fiberglass touring skateboard that looked like a limo. His design is patented. He had been working on the design for a 2 wheeled car that was energy efficient AND safe! His passions were boating, designing and building, watching OLD movies, especially Charlie Chan, and singing Karoke. He became a star in his own right. Another passion was his Koi pond with a waterfall which he designed and built in the front yard. His Koi were like his children, each with their own name. He loved to sit on the front porch looking at his pond, waterfall, flowers, and bird bath. Birds love to come and dip in the bath. Jack learned all of the various species. He was in the process of replanting the flowers around the pond when he passed away. He had bought the flowers, weeded the spot sitting on his little garden scooter, and looked forward to adding color to the pond. He had been dealing with pulmonary hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, and lymphoma. However, he did not let this slow him down until the end. He'd drive where he wanted; unload his MANLY scooter from the lift on the back of the Explorer; connect his oxygen and off he'd go.....undaunted. He never gave in and fought a valiant battle to the end. He leaves behind a daughter, Glenda Johnson, two grandsons, Justin and Aaron Nielsen, brother Jim Gambs and wife Lou. And of course me, Jody, his wife of 25 years; 3 stepsons, Steve, Tim, and James Jones; and two step great-grandsons, Cody Jones and Soren Vahlstrom, who will all miss him dearly. He was a smart man, a brave man, a good man, and my hero. Bon Voyage, Captain Jack
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