John Gerard Donnellan (Born September 23, 1937) was a thoughtful, outgoing, kind Irishman who went by many names: “Pan Am Jack,” “Grandpa,” “Jack,” “Sponsor,” “Union Rep” and “Uncle Jackie.” However, the descriptions of him remained constant: Dependable, Funny, Helpful, Intelligent, Frugal, Storyteller, Insightful, Trustworthy and Generous. For most of the first 39 years of his life he was often many of those things, but he was also drunk. Then he went to an AA meeting. This began a lifetime of service: speaking at meetings, teaching DUI diversion classes and sponsoring others who asked for help. This was his passion, his calling. He went every day to a meeting because he loved the community and the people who were brave enough to share their soul with strangers. Even towards the end of his life, almost too weak to stand, he would gather the strength to get up at the end of meetings, hold hands with others and recite “Keep coming back, it works, if you work it.”
He was a husband to both Ruth Beverly and Dorthy Curtain who preceded him in death. A loving step-father to Katie and Judi Beverly. A doting grandpa to Jennifer, Jerry, Erica and Dexter and great grandpa to Tinton, Landon and Maverick. He admired the immense intellect of his two brothers: Kevin and Thomas who also preceded him in death. He adored Thomas’s daughters Patricia and Jennifer. He marveled at the success of his only sister, Anne, whom he loved deeply and her only son, John, who he would often be forced to agree was his favorite nephew in the world.
Jack grew up Catholic in Jamaica Queens, New York, the son of two Irish immigrants: Bart and Mary. He joined the Marines at 20 and learned to be a mechanic. He moved to San Francisco in the late sixties to work for Pan Am airlines and spent over 30 years fixing airplanes. He was a passionate union leader at the airport and spent years organizing and speaking to other union members. He loved representing the members of his union. After he retired from the airlines, he started his own business (Vision-a-new) which helped the elderly and those losing their sight, the ability to read again.
He loved so many things: ice Cream, San Francisco sports teams, a great deal on a phone, a free parking space, going to mass, nachos, his grandchildren, following his stocks, watching Chris Mathews and giving speeches at any and all gatherings of people. Jack's steady, loving presence made you feel safer in the world. He was a man at the end who was happy and content with his life. “I have very little regrets.” On September 27th, 2022, four days after his 85th birthday, Jack passed away quietly, peacefully and with great dignity. Jack was a good man and loving patriarch to his family who will be missed by all those who knew him.
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