Jack E. Marek, 73, of Grangeville, passed away at his home Saturday evening, July 23, 2011. Jack was born Sept. 8, 1937, to Josephine and Jack E. Marek Sr. in Bell, Calif.

When he was 9 years old, his family moved to White Bird where he attended grade school. He and his brother, Pat, decided to go to high school in Grangeville and rented their own apartment, supporting themselves through school working as school janitors and sharing a night-shift job at the mill.

After graduating from Grangeville High School in 1955, Jack attended the University of Idaho for four years majoring in business. During his freshman year he was a lineman for UI's football team, starting his lifelong love of the Vandals.

Jack married Nancy Hauger Sept. 11, 1960, at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Grangeville, where he has remained a member. Jack taught school briefly in White Bird and later began working for the A&F Company Department Store, managing it for 19 years. In 1980, Jack started Northwest Insurance Agency with his brother-in-law, George Shira, until retiring in 2002.

Jack loved the town of Grangeville and thought it important to contribute to the welfare of his community. He served as the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Grangeville Lions Club, Bulldog Boosters, and was a member of Grangeville's Elks Club, Snowhaven Ski board and the Border Days Committee. He was instrumental in obtaining a T-bar and snow groomer for Snowhaven Ski Area. He also worked hard through the Lions Club to get a new "bath house" for the city pool and to develop Grangeville's Lions Park. Jack became involved with Border Days 40-plus years ago as its parade announcer and developed some of its time-honored traditions. With help from his buddy, Gary Cash, the super egg-toss was born in an attempt to draw people to the Main Street festivities during the Fourth of July. It's been a highlight of Border Days since. In 2007, Jack was selected as Border Days' Grand Marshal.

Jack enjoyed fishing, trap shooting, bird hunting, golfing, skiing, attending Vandal football games, and boating on Payette Lake with family and friends. He taught many of his nieces and nephews how to water ski and fed many a steelhead beer at the Lions Club Steelhead Derby. He enjoyed trap-shooting with his grandson, and had many friends at the golf course and gun club. He made events fun, always ready to tell a funny story, often over and over again.

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Jack is survived by his wife, Nancy, at the family home in Grangeville; son, Todd Marek and wife Liz with their children, Ellie, Amelia and Ben; daughter, Leslie Wright and husband Joe with children, Halley, Brennan and Cooper, all of Grangeville; his older brothers, Pat Marek and wife Shari of Riggins, and Robert Remington and wife Penny of Fenn; aunt, Eileen Wassmuth and husband Tony of Grangeville; sister, Jeannie Perez of Yakima; he is also survived by, and will be missed by many dear friends and extended family. He was preceded in death by his mother, Josephine Remington, and father, Jack E. Marek.

The family would like to give a special thanks to his devoted care givers, Stephanie Hohman, Judy Brackelsberg and Shelly Bakie.

Jack was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend. The Steelhead Derby will never be the same again! He will be missed.