Jack Peter De Bruin

Meet Jack De Bruin, your neighbor at Fairwinds Ivey Ranch. A gentle, soft-spoken man with a stellar intellect and inquiring mind, Jack is always ready with a smile to brighten your day. Born in Hague, Holland, on May 8, 1923, he fashions himself a "people person" and credits his positive outlook on life to his father. His father, an accomplished artist by profession, was most influential in Jack's life, inspiring him to read, explore the world around him, be inquisitive and to "Give to other without expecting anything in return." Some of Jack's happiest childhood memories involve deep philosophical discussions with his father and on the ideologies of the day and novels written by Jack's favorite author, Jack London.

Life changed abruptly for the De Bruin family with the German occupation of Holland in 1939. Jack quit college, and together with his mother, father, and older brother, Frank, joined the Dutch resistance for the entire war period. Jack's family helped rescue downed pilots and assisted them with safe passage out of the country at great risk to their own safety. Just a few months before the war ended, the Nazis raided their home. Jack, Frank, and his mother were able to escape from the second story window, but his father wasn't as lucky. He was captured, tortured, and executed just hours later.

Jack spent the next few years working as an intelligence officer for the Dutch Army and the following ten years at the Bureau of Statistics and the National Defense Research Council in biomedical research. After the war, Jack's uncle tutored him in the art and profession of photography. Coupled with his studies at the Art Institute in the Hague and his experience as a biomedical researcher, Jack ultimately found his life calling. He honed his craft to specialize in biomedical photography.

Jack seized an opportunity to immigrate to America in 1957 and settled in Chicago. The lack of a job didn't stop him. Just a few months later, his American sponsor offered him a position at the University of Illinois as an assistant to the Assistant Director of Scientific Photography, and he took it! From that point on, Jack's career in the field of Biomedical Photography skyrocketed. His expertise in the field took him from one promotion to another until he found himself at Mt. Sinai Hospital in 1962 as the Director of Biomedical Photography. By the late 1970s he was also teaching a course he developed to doctors on Biomedical Communications at the Chicago Medical School.

During his more than 20-year career in the biomedical communications field, Jack met and married his 'lovely, open-minded" wife Rosamund (Roz) Hamre and involved himself in many professional organizations and activities. He simultaneously chaired and organized an International Biomedical Communication Convention. He published several papers for the Journal of the Biological Photographic Association. He joined the prestigious society of research scientists, Sigma Xi. He was listed in Who's Who in the Midwest from 1976 to 1983 and won numerous awards for his work throughout his career, some of which were the Evelyn Palmer Award in 1961 and First Prize in both research and general photography.

Throughout his life, Jack has been very involved with the Masons, Jack was impressed with their integrity, philanthropy and objective of self-improvement. He joined the Masons in Chicago in 1961. In 1972, he became Master of the Wilmette Lodge, 700 members large. To this very day, Jack proudly proclaims his Masonic affiliation and claims lifetime membership in two lodges and a number of their organizations. He received the Hiram Award in the Oceanside Lodge in 1999.

Jack and Roz retired in the early '80s. They traveled through Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and to all of the 50 states (except Alaska). In 1985, Jack and Roz settled in Oceanside. Jack kept busy during his retirement years. He held the position of Assistant State Co-coordinator for the volunteer senior safe driving program, "55 Alive." He and Roz volunteered at the Oceanside Welcome Center from 1987 to 2002. Jack was named the first Volunteer of the Year in 2002 for the Oceanside Welcome Center.

Since coming to Fairwinds Ivey Ranch in January 2005, Jack has had his share of challenges, losing his beloved Roz and battling his own health issues. Through it all, Jack maintains his positive outlook on life. You'll find him participating in Wii Bowling, Chair Yoga, the Posit Science Brain Fitness programs and most all of the social activities. He gives each day all he has to give and remains true to his character, expecting nothing in return.