for
Jack Hamilton Eakin
Jack Hamilton Eakin, 90 of Santa Rosa, California died April 16, 2013. Jack was born on March 23, 1923 in a residence in the construction camp at the Black Canyon Damsite, near Emmett, Idaho. His parents were Louis Donald and Neva Leone Eakin. Jack was the second of their three children. The family moved to Boise when Jack was a year old and he attended school there through two years at Boise Junior College. He then went to the University of Idaho for one year majoring in Civil Engineering. While attending the University he met Mary Ann Freeland, of Coeur d’ Alene whom he married in 1946. While in Moscow he enlisted in the Navy V-12 Program, which allowed him to finish his Junior Year in Moscow. The Navy sent him to Iowa State College in Ames, Iowa in July 1943 for his Senior Year there. He graduated from Iowa State in March 1944 as a Civil Engineer and was sent to Basic Training for the Seabees in Camp Peary, Virginia. At graduation he was commissioned an Ensign in the Civil Engineering Corp of the Navy. From there he was sent to Midshipman School at Camp Endicott, Rhode Island. He was sent overseas to join the 119th Naval Construction Battalion and served with them in New Guinea and the Philippines.
After the war, Jack and Mary Ann were married in Coeur d’ Alene on September 1, 1946. To this union were born two sons, William and Thomas. Jack worked as a Civil Engineer, mostly in construction management, which resulted in their living in many places. Jack worked mainly on dams, powerhouses, and water projects. He worked for Bechtel Corporation for 31 years and was the Project Manager on the Rebuilding of American Falls Dam for the American Falls Reservoir District from 1973 to 1978. He became acquainted with many of the water users in the Twin Falls-Jerome area at that time. Jack retired from Bechtel in March of 1986 and was hired by the Twin Falls Canal Company as General Manager. He held that position until he again retired at the end of 1990. He returned to the Canal Company again in 1991 and served six months until a new Manager was hired. He was inducted into the Idaho Water User’s Hall of Fame in 1993.
Jack was a member of the College Heights Church of San Mateo, California and regularly attended the Presbyterian Churches in Twin Falls and Hollister. He was a member of the Twin Falls Rotary Club and was a Paul Harris Fellow. He was a Thirty-second Degree Mason. He was a Registered Civil Engineer in California and Idaho, a Life Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, a Life Member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity and a member of the United States Society of Dams.
Jack is survived by his son Thomas (Joanne) of Santa Rosa, California, four grandchildren, Alicia Eakin, San Francisco, California, Andrew Eakin, San Mateo, California, James Eakin and John Eakin of Santa Rosa, California. He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Mary Ann in November 2003, by his son, William of Palm Desert, California in February 1999, by his brother, Robert of Tacoma, Washington in 1985, by his sister, Elinor Eakin of Boise, Idaho in 2009.
The service for Jack Eakin will be conducted at the First Presbyterian Church, Twin Falls, Idaho on Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 11:00 am. Private family burial will precede services at Sunset Memorial Park. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Jack’s memory to the College of Southern Idaho Foundation, P.O. Box 1238, Twin Falls, ID 83303, or a charity of the donor’s choice.
Services are under the direction of Trent Stimpson and staff at White Mortuary, Chapel by the Park, Twin Falls.
Condolences may be left for the family by visiting www.whitemortuary.com.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18