Jack died December 20, 1990, at age 87 of natural causes in Missoula. He was born in Utica, Montana, on December 10, 1903. He was one of the pioneer smokejumpers in 1942 and had five fire jumps that summer. Jack enlisted in the US Navy January 19, 1943 and served as a parachute rigger.

Following his discharge from the Navy on October 27, 1945, he returned to the Missoula smokejumpers in 1946 as master parachute rigger, training countless others as riggers, until his retirement in 1969. For his lifetime of service Jack received the USDA Superior Service Award in 1967, the Montana Jefferson Award in 1986, the Senior Citizen of Montana Award and the Boy Scout Silver Beaver Award. He is buried at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Missoula.