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Jack Allen Meeuwse
August 20, 1953 - July 23, 2012
jack

Jack Allen Meeuwse passed away on Monday, July 23rd at UCSF after a battle with cancer. He was 58 years old. Jack was born on August 20, 1953 in Modesto, California to Jake and Alice Meeuwse. He lived in Ripon, California for most of his life. He attended Ripon Christian and graduated class of 1971.

Jack worked his entire life on the family walnut ranch in Ripon. He also attended Modesto Junior College and California State University, Stanislaus and received his Bachelor of Science in biology and a minor in chemistry in 1986. His concentration was in the area of marine biology. He did a residency for six months in Moss Landing, California and used his degree for four seasons from 1987 to 1990 in the Bering Sea as a Foreign Fisheries Observer for the National Marine Fisheries Services and later as a Joint Venture representative for ProFish International.

Jack was employed by Hoaglands Transport Service for 21 years from 1978 to 1999. He was a driver, trainer, dispatcher and forklift operator.

In 2000 he went to work for Tiger Lines Trucking in Modesto for seasonal agricultural trucking performing similar duties. Jack can best be described as a very kind and generous man with a great passion for nature. He was known for always greeting people with his big smile and a bag of walnuts, oranges, apricots, or grapefruit from the ranch. Each Christmas he would make many batches of pomegranate jelly and deliver jars to family and friends. This earned him the nickname "The Jelly Man". Jack loved fishing, scuba diving, bird watching and flying kites and spending time with his Rottweilers. He loved to tell stories, especially about his trips to Alaska, Belize, St. Croix, Australia and Costa Rica. He also had a passion for reading and cooking.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents Jake and Alice Meeuwse. He is survived by his wife Shirley Meeuwse, brothers Dean Meeuwse and Don (Debbie) Meeuwse, daughter Hannah Meeuwse, stepsons, Matthew (Jenni) Cavanaugh and Eric Cavanaugh. He also leaves his beloved grandchildren Grace and Karis Cavanaugh. He also leaves his nephews and niece Jason, Chad, Jacob, and Kelsey Meeuwse.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, August, 3rd at 11am at the Ripon Cemetery, 320 N. Stockton Street. A celebration of life reception will follow at the First Christian Reformed Church, 305 Boesch Drive in Ripon.

An online guest book is available for condolences at deeganfuneralchapels.com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Ripon Christian Schools, 435 Maple Ave, Ripon, CA 95366.

Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin

Saturday, July 28, 2012