John 'Jack' Francis Barrett, 85
John “Jack” Francis Barrett passed peacefully, surrounded by his family, on Wednesday, May 28, 2014, in Kalispell after a short illness related to a stroke.
Born in Shelby, Jack passed just six weeks shy of his 86th birthday.
Jack was preceded in death by his father, Joseph; his mother, Therese; his brother, Ralph; his sister, Joan; his father-in-law, Arthur; his mother-in-law, Inez; and his first wife, Shirley Ellen.
Jack married his present wife, Shirley Mae, in 1972, after his first wife passed in 1970. Collectively, Jack and his two brides followed the biblical dictum to be fruitful and multiply. Together they have 11 children, Wendy Boll, Tony Barrett, Stanley Foy, Patrick Barrett, Jacqueline Knox, Connie Tuman, Michael Barrett, Dee Dee Daus, John Barrett, John Roedel and James Barrett; plus 34 grandchildren and 36 great-grandchildren. Jack also has an extended family and a group of dear friends too numerous to detail here. This collective group resides on the continents of North America, South America, Africa and Asia.
Jack was a charismatic Irishman and is remembered fondly for his public service as a volunteer for the Evergreen Lions Club, Evergreen Volunteer Fire Department, Evergreen School board, Evergreen Water and Sewer District, Pee Wee Baseball, Rocky Mountain Rollers, Saint Matthew’s Catholic Parish, Knights of Columbus, Risen Christ Catholic Parish and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Glacier Country. Jack was an original member of Risen Christ Catholic Church.
After his graduation from Coeur d’Alene High School in the 1940s, Jack spent time as a professional boxer, then rose to the position of master carpenter on the construction of the Hungry Horse Reservoir. In the 1950s and 1960s, Jack and his first wife built a successful business as the owners/operators of a Texaco auto repair shop and tire distributorship on U.S. 2 East in Evergreen, and running the family farm located midway between Kalispell and Whitefish. One of the highlights of this period was Jack volunteering his business as a combined boat-fueling station and emergency command center during the 1964 flood of the upper Flathead Valley. Beginning in the 1970s, Jack and his second wife built a very successful business as land developers with the capstone being the 240-unit Meadow Manor complex in Evergreen. A highlight of this period was the construction and later donation of the Boys and Girls Club and the state fishing grounds on Shady Lane in Evergreen.
Jack was an accomplished sportsman and is well known in Montana and Alaska for his prowess in boxing, hunting, fishing, snow skiing, water skiing, golfing, boating, horse riding and white water rafting. Jack was also an avid traveler and his numerous trips included locations such as the entire continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, El Salvador and long winter trips to Arizona.
A visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 1, at the Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home and Crematory in Kalispell. A rosary service will be said at 7 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on June 2, at Risen Christ Church in Evergreen. Burial will follow funeral services at Glacier Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers the family desires that donations be made to the Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for Jack’s family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer condolences and view Jack’s tribute wall.