Jack Hiromi Ikenaga

Jack Hiromi Ikenaga, Sr. (July 6, 1932 – September 30, 2011) passed away peacefully, while surrounded by family and friends, at the age of 79, in Houston, Texas. He was born in Fukuoka, Japan, to his mother, Tama, and father, Souichi. Jack was the 3rd child of 6. His oldest sister, Tuneko Iwao passed away this spring. His remaining siblings, sisters Tsugino Ikenaga and Ayako Ikuyama, and brothers Jiro Ikenaga and Mitsuo Ikenaga survive him.

Jack is survived by his wife, Sandra Ikenaga, 4 children, and 5 grandchildren. He also had 2 deceased daughters, Linda Sue Gasiorowski and Bonnie Ikenaga, that weighed heavily on his heart. His living progeny are: Nancy Sumners; Jack Ikenaga, Jr., and his children Mikhail and Elizabeth; Christine Ikenaga; Eric Goodman, and his children Molly and Bodhi; and Linda’s son, Patrick Gasiorowski. He is also survived by over 300 employees and friends at and from ACCC that he also considered family.

Jack Sr. immigrated to the United States in 1954 under the sponsorship of Waldo Bither, Sr., whom he met and worked for during the US Army’s occupation of Japan after WWII. Waldo, a member of the Doolittle Raiders, became forever etched into Jack’s heart, soul, and family for the kindness and generosity he received. Though not blood, the Ikenaga family is forever indebted and linked to the Bither family for how they welcomed this energetic young Japanese man into their home and family. Because of this, Jack will always consider Waldo ‘Jim’ Bither, Jr. his brother. He also had a great love for Waldo, Sr.’s wife, Gran Sue, and their daughter, Linda Hendrix, and their extended family.

Jack graduated first from Trinity University, and later received an MBA from the University of Chicago, when tough times and finances forced him to give up his dream of medical school. In 1962, Jack landed at Safeway Insurance Co. where he worked for 33 years, helping Safeway grow into one of the largest nonstandard auto insurance companies in the nation at the time of his retirement, being one of the first insurance companies to employ the use of computers in its operations in the ‘70s. In 1997, at the age of 65, instead of easing into retirement, Jack Sr. fulfilled his dream of owning and running his own company, ACCC Insurance Co., based in Houston, where he worked and contributed till he entered the hospital in July of 2011.

His work was his life, and he was one of the best at what he did. While Jack would humbly profess that he was not that smart, and that anyone could have done what he did, those who know him know better. He was blessed with God-given brilliance, stamina, and constitution, childhood poverty-inspired courage, Japanese diligence and persistence, and American ingenuity and generosity that few people possess. While he was often demanding and difficult, he also was inspiring and compassionate to his employees, friends, and family. He commanded a fierce loyalty that was returned without question. Simply, he was a true and capable leader.

We know that this wonderful and energetic little Japanese man, who so embodied and embraced the American Dream, but was still a traditional Japanese family and private man, is now off to bountiful fishing holes, his one true hobby and pastime, drinking Miller Lites and snacking on boiled crabs. He enriched so many lives with his deep compassion, his perpetual smile and good humor, his natural talent and know-how as an entertainer and host, and above all, his passion and hard-working spirit that raised him and those around them above where they dreamed they could achieve.

Memorial Services will be held in Houston, Texas, at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home & Cemetery at 18000 I-45 South, The Woodlands, TX 77384 on Saturday, October 8, 2011, at 2:30 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the ‘Educational Foundation for Underprivileged Children’ that Jack Sr. established in honor of his benefactors Waldo and Gran Sue Bither, sent to his office at 420 Lockhaven Dr., Houston, TX 77073.