Jack Back was born June 13, 1932, and lived his earliest years in the tiny Iowa town of Duncombe. Right next door were his Grandma Back and Aunt Ida, both Swedish immigrants.
He started school there but while in elementary school, the family moved to Richmond, CA, where his father worked in the shipyards. Jack earned pocket money hawking newspapers and remembered the excitement of selling out of papers the day the war ended.
Shortly after, Jack, along with his father and younger brother, Jim, moved to Turlock, CA, where he went to high school and played on the award-winning 1949-50 football teams. In summers he worked on a turkey ranch in rural Mariposa. Soon after graduation he joined the Air Force, where he was deployed to Ramstein, Germany, and later spent time in Tripoli, Libya.
After his return, he joined the California Air National Guard where he worked until he retired. He reached the rank of Chief Master Sergeant and led the Aircraft Maintenance Control Office, earning numerous medals and ribbons and serving as liaison to the state level Air National Guard organization. Jack met his future wife, Margie, during high school, after a car accident while riding in her brother’s souped-up Lincoln; the young men came home to report to her dad that they had wrecked the car and… she was there. The two were married several years later in 1957 and made their home in Fresno. At that time, Jack joined Margie as a member of Trinity Lutheran Church. In 1962, their only child, Christopher, was born. The family enjoyed traveling, over the years visiting Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, England, France, Germany, Mexico, Hawaii, Jamaica, and Holland, often returning to locations previously visited.
Jack’s life-long passion was cars. He loved talking about them, working on them, diagnosing problems and figuring out solutions. Even in retirement, he continued working for Hertz - right up until his passing. He loved car racing and took great pleasure in being part of the pit crew for drivers Milt Minter, Norm Balzer, Jim Kilpatrick, Jon Koobation, and lastly Collin Jackson — all SCCA winners. Over the years he owned many cars, mostly Porsches but was fascinated by all makes. He also had a Corvette, and restored a 1973 Datsun 510 that he drove for many years. A Porsche Club member since 1962, he enjoyed being active in the local chapter and more recently, was also in the Corvette Club.
Jack is survived by his wife Margie, son Christopher and numerous nieces and nephews.
A celebration of his life will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Fresno on Nov. 4th at 11 a.m. Memorial gifts may be directed to the Bulldog Pantry, 2311 E. Shaw, Fresno 93710.
May God bless his memory. John C. Back Jr. (Jack)
