Jack Allen Northrup

Jack Allen Northrup, age 91, entered eternity on January 8, 2018, surrounded by family in his Balboa Island home. He was born in Santa Ana, California to Orville and Lyla (Allen) Northrup on July 23, 1926. A long-time Balboa Island resident, Jack was passionate about the community, and his energy and enthusiasm were contagious. Just two years ago Jack completed his memoirs, “A Life Well Lived.” So true! Jack’s exemplary life and the legacy he leaves behind stand as a tribute to this title.

Jack spent his early years in Costa Mesa before moving to Tustin. He attended Tustin Elementary School and Tustin Union High School, where his father taught wood shop, machine shop, auto shop, drafting, and physical education prior to becoming the principal in 1940. In addition to college prep courses, Jack participated in drama classes, played in the school band and was active in sports, especially football; he also worked at Cox’s Market after school and on weekends.

While in college, Jack served in the Navy and was commissioned as an officer upon graduation. He earned his BA in Psychology and Naval Science in 1947 and his MBA in 1949, both from the University of California at Los Angeles. He joined the SAE fraternity and served as Eminent Archon and Pledge Captain.

For the first twenty years of his career, Jack worked for two large corporations--Purex Corporation, Ltd. and Hunt-Wesson Foods--in increasingly senior management positions. The second twenty years were spent as a management consultant for The Enterprise Management Group (EMG), a company he owned and founded.

Jack married Ardena “Dee” Fae Romberger in 1947. They settled in Whittier and had three beautiful daughters. After forty wonderful years of marriage, Dee passed away, and two years later, Jack married Joan Kirkwood Orem, a longtime friend. Jack and Joan built their dream home on Balboa Island in 1990. Together they expressed their passion for the community and became involved in many activities. They spearheaded the decoration of the Island bridge at Christmas time, and Jack worked with the City for several years in developing the stone facing and establishing light standards and flower pots on the bridge. He remained involved with the committee leading the underground utilities initiative on the Island.

Jack had a zeal for many things. He traveled extensively with Dee and then with Joan. He loved cars (the Northrups and Orems met in the early 50s at the Whittier Sports Club), planes (he was a pilot and owned his own plane), boats (he had boats – hence his involvement with the Balboa Yacht Club) and RVs. He was a member of the Balboa Yacht Club for twenty years, and served as Secretary of the Board of Directors, Cruise Chairman, and Opening Day Chairman. He was a Director and Treasurer of the Balboa Island Improvement Association, where his involvement spanned many years. He served on the Board of Directors and as the Vice President of the Balboa Island Museum, where his insights were instrumental for the growth and development of the Museum, and his leadership served as a guiding force for advancement.

With all his accomplishments and talents, Jack’s greatest passion was always for his family. Jack and Joan created a beautiful blended family that enjoyed countless family vacations (Mexico, Catalina, Northern California, Hawaii) and get-togethers over the years, including the crowning glory – a family week on Balboa Island where they rented homes for all the family – for Jack’s 90th birthday.

Jack is survived by his wife Joan, his brother Richard, his daughters Jo Ellen Heck (Rick), Linda Kay Burr (Richard), Mary Dee Kienstra (John), five grandchildren, Melanie, Russell, Jessica, Dayna and David, and six great-grandchildren, Sierra, Trey, Tucker, Tavin, Ashlyn and Charlotte as well as two step-daughters, Joy Crowe, Janet Clark (Ron), step-son Michael Orem (Denny), six step-grandchildren, Alan, Stephen, Daniel, Mandy, Shelle and Philip, and nine step-great-grandchildren, Isaiah, Hunter, Paisley, Jacob, Landon, Conner, Tulie, Judah and Lily.

A Celebration of Life will be held for Jack on February 3, 2018 at 11:30 am at the Balboa Yacht Club, 1801 Bayside Drive, Corona del Mar, CA.

It has been Jack's dream to secure a permanent home for the Balboa Island Museum and to that end he made a bequest and established a fund. To further that dream, the family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Balboa Island Museum (331 Marine Avenue, Newport Beach, CA 92662). Gifts should be directed to the "Jack & Joan Northrup Building & Financing Fund', or simply "Jack Northrup Memorial."

Jack's life was filled with the love of family and friends, and unforgettable happy moments. There is really no way to measure the extent to which his memory will affect all who knew him. His is the legacy of a great man, and how fortunate that he left us with the whole story – truly A Life Well Lived.