Jack Hyman

JACK LEE HYMAN, 83, of Denver, Colorado died March 20, 2023. Mr. Hyman was born in Idaho Springs, CO, on March 17, 1940. He married Evelyn in 1962. He worked for 34 years as a factory and buildings and grounds worker at Gates Rubber Company and served in the U.S Navy from 1957-1961. Survivors include sons Greg of Arvada (Pam), Randy of Lakewood (Inge), sister Shirley Rush of Walsenburg, grandchildren, Lindsey and Sean, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Jack was born March 17, 1940, in Idaho Springs, CO, located at 115 15th Avenue, the corner of 15th Avenue and Water Street, directly across the interstate from the iconic Idaho Springs water wheel. Jack was born, raised, and lived most of life in Colorado. He attended Denver West and South High Schools before leaving school early to join the U.S. Navy.

Jack’s parents were Oscar “Jack” Hyman, who came to Colorado in the 1930s and Pauline Walls, whose family arrived in northeastern Colorado in the late 1920s. Pauline grew up in Ovid, CO before her family moved to Idaho Springs, where she and Oscar met. Oscar was born and raised in the Texas Panhandle town of Tulia, TX. They were married on January 7, 1936, and they had four children: Rita, Jack, Les, and Shirley. Oscar died on April 24, 1950, when Jack was only 10 years old.

A few months before turning 18, Jack convinced his mom to sign off on his desire to join the service, and on December 2, 1957, he enlisted in the United States Navy. Dad was extremely proud of his naval service, especially his ship, the heavy cruiser U.S.S. Rochester, CA-124, and his job – boiler tender and member of B-Division.

Jack cherished and was proud of his four years of service in the Navy. He spoke frequently and fondly of his naval experience. He loved connecting and swapping stories with veterans to tell of his time aboard the Rochester and their South Pacific ports of call. He travelled to attend many reunions of the Rochester association at various locations around the country over twenty plus years.

Jack completed his active service in February of 1961. He returned to his beloved Denver, CO, met his soon-to-be wife Evelyn, and went to work for Gates Rubber Company, where he worked in the factory and buildings and grounds for 34 years. Jack and Evelyn had two children: Greg who was born in May of 1963, and Randy, born in April of 1966.

Jack retired from Gates in 1998. He continued to work part-time for several years in various driving and delivery jobs before vision issues cutailed his ability to drive. He enjoyed 25 years of retirement from his home in Southwest Denver, attending a weekly seniors group at the Barnum Recreation Center and the Seniors Resource center. He also did volunteer work for a few years at The Barnum Recreation Center.

Jack loved to watch professional baseball and football. He was an avid, faithful fan of the Colorado Rockies and rarely missed a televised game. He became a Denver Broncos season ticket holder early in the franchise's history and attended games every season for nearly forty years, including two Super Bowls in 1987 and 1988. He passed his season ticktets along to Greg, who continues the family tradition of supporting the Broncos.

In 2012, Jack's health took a turn and he would begin a decline that would end in his passing 11 years later. Throughout those years, Jack fought tenaciuously to remain in his home as long as possible which he was able to do, despite numerous setbacks, trips to the emeregency room, and hospitalizations. In August, 2022, Jack fell, just inside his front door, fracturing his hip, resulting in surgery, a hospitalization, a month-long stay in a rehab facility, and finally into Applewood Assisted Living where his lived from October of 2022 until his passing on March 20, 2023.