Jack S. Girtin

How do you capture the life of Jack S. Girtin in a few hundred words, or a few thousand, or volumes? How do you express the positive impact he made on this world by touching one life at a time for over 88 years? How do you add up how many thousands, tens of thousands, of lives he directly touched as a teacher, coach, uncle, husband, father, grandfather, or friend and the lives they touched – lives that were left better from the influence of Jack Girtin? But, perhaps, these few words don't have to. Anyone knowing, or after meeting Jack for only a moment (and that is all it would take), received his gift of love, kindness and humor and already understands. Everyone Jack Girtin touched left with a smile in their heart.

Jack was born in Monroe City, Missouri on February 16, 1924 but moved to Denver as an infant; and as he put it, "I moved to Denver as an infant so I could be close to my mother." (And how he loved his mother Daisy and took care of her to the very end of her 103 years.) When you talked to Jack, you might get the impression that there was no other place on earth outside Denver, Colorado. We joked that the world ended for Jack outside the Denver city limits.

His impact on this world had humble beginnings, as most do from his generation, in the back of a barber shop by 8th and Santa Fe where his father, Leonard, cut hair for "two bits" a haircut. This was after Jack's mother helped his father through barber college by playing the piano at silent movies. It was behind this barber shop where Jack grew up and began to make his impact on the Denver athletic scene.

Jack was a four letter athlete throughout all of high school playing basketball, baseball, football, and golf at West High School where he was named MVP All City, All Conference in football. After high school he went to the University of Denver on an athletic scholarship where he played both baseball and football. However, after a year of playing college ball his country called him to duty during WWII. A duty he was proud to do. But before leaving for the war, he left his mother a note that said he was going to St Louis to see a Major League baseball game . . . and he started to walk east on Colfax and hitchhiked to St Louis and back just so he could see a Major League game before he went to war.

Jack served proudly during WWII as did two of his three brothers, Bill and Don (his younger brother Buzz was called to duty during the next war where he, also, served proudly). Jack was somewhat unique in that he served in all WWII theaters of operation. He was part of the European campaign, part of the North African campaign, and then was sent to the Pacific. And although he saw much of the world, as stated before, the world still ended for him outside the Denver city limits.

After three plus years of service, Jack returned to the University of Denver to play another three years of collegiate ball where he was the standout quarterback in football and star catcher in baseball. There are many legends surrounding Jack Girtin stories concerning sports and, unbelievably, most all of them are true. These stories are mostly based on two parts, his athletic skill and his humor. Even though he was known for these legends, if you asked Jack what he was most proud of, he would tell you it was marrying his wife, Margery.

He met Margery at the University of Denver after he returned from the war. He would call down to her from the balcony of the class they shared and call to her "tweetie." Margery said he could make her laugh. Thus began the next part of his life with his beautiful bride Margery.

Jack received a letter from the Detroit Lions to play football but, true to his modest form, he said, "everyone got one of those letters." Instead he played semi-pro baseball in Imperial, Nebraska for a few years and began a family with Margery. During this time he continued impacting others as he also became a teacher and coach. And as fate would have it, he ended up returning to West High School to coach football. He taught at West for 10 years before going to the Colorado Teaching College in Greeley, Colorado (now known as the University of Northern Colorado) to receive his Masters Degree in Education. He then returned back to Denver and taught and coached at Abraham Lincoln High School.

On Jack's Master's diploma it lists him as Jack S. Girtin. He always went by Jack, but his birth name is Charles Jackson Girtin. When asked why he went by "Jack S." he stated, "I never want to take myself too seriously." It was just another indicator of his humor and modesty.

Although Jack played down his success on the ball field, he was extremely proud and loved his family. Jack and Margery ended up raising four children: Kristy, Robin, Guy and Gregg. These four children resulted in eleven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. And to the end, even though Jack was struck with Alzheimer's, his kind nature, love, and humor never left him. Literally, to his last day, to his last moment, he was giving people a smile.

Jack truly lived his life as an example for others, and what a life it was! He left with a walk off homerun. He was told by his daughter that he was "a good man." He looked at her and said, "I want to be." Dad, you were. You were the best! We love you so much. When I fear the world has lost a beautiful light, I look at what you've left behind and I see the beauty. I see your spirit, I see your love, I see your humor, I see your gentleness, I see your teachings in your eleven grandchildren and your five great great-grandchildren and the smile I see on every single persons' face when they hear your name. Dad, thanks for the memories . . . Jack Girtin, you were superb . . . You knew your part . . . You played it well . . . And now it's time to say farewell . . . Jack Girtin, we love you so much.

Please give donations to Brentwood United Methodist Church, 1899 S. Irving St, Denver, CO 80219 or the Alzheimer's Association in lieu of flowers. Thank you.