Jack Neldon Birk passed away at N.C. Little Memorial Hospice in Edina, Minnesota on Saturday, August 22, 2015 at the age of 91. Born in American Fork, Utah on February 29, 1924 to Lewis Neldon and Edna Moore Birk, he was the older brother of Betty Edna Birk May and Shirley Zenith, both of whom predeceased him, and Robert Alan Birk of Sarasota, Florida.
Jack graduated from the University of Utah in 1947 with a degree in Mining Engineering. A member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and a leader in student government, he was elected student body president in his senior year of college. After graduating from the “U,” he began his 42-year long career as a mining engineer with U.S. Steel. He married Sally Ann Clark in Salt Lake City, Utah on June 17, 1950. Sally and Jack celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary a few months before Sally’s death in September 2011. They began married life in Dragerton, Utah and then lived in Palo Alto, California and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before moving to Duluth in 1971 where Jack resided until a week before his death.
Jack was a leader in the Duluth community, serving on the board of directors of St. Luke’s Hospital and the Kitchi Gammi Club and on the vestry and as Senior Warden of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. He was a founding member of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation and worked with Julia and Caroline Marshall on projects to develop the St. Louis Bay waterfront. After retiring from the Duluth Missabe & Iron Range Railroad in 1989, Jack filled his days enjoying his extended family and friends, walking his beloved dogs, Taffy and Birkie, taking classes at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) University for Seniors and lending a helping hand wherever he saw a need.
Jack is survived by his brother, Robert; three daughters, Judith Birk (Robert) Kridle of Oakland, California, Peggy Joan Birk, of Minneapolis, Minnesota and Marianne Birk (Michael) Kenfield of Edina, Minnesota; six grandchildren, Lars-Erik Birk (Maren Melhus) Leafblad, Megan McCanne Leafblad (Michael) Gottschalk, Andrew Kenfield, Liliana Kridle Titterton, Katherine Kenfield and James Kridle; and five great grandchildren, Bergen, Annika, Ingrid and Greta Leafblad and Birk Stephen Leafblad Gottschalk, born just hours after Jack’s passing.
The family is grateful for the loving and compassionate care Jack received at Ecumen Lakeshore and N.C. Little Memorial Hospice.
A visitation with Jack’s family will be held at Bell Brothers Jarvi Dowd Funeral Home, 925 East Fourth Street, Duluth, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 8, 2015. A memorial service will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1710 East Superior Street, Duluth, on Wednesday, September 9, 2015 at 11:00 a.m., the Reverend William Van Oss officiating. A gathering of friends and family will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., prior to the memorial service. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jack’s memory may be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Memories of Jack or words of support for the family may be left at www.bellbrothersjarvidowd.com.
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