Harris' kindness and sense of humor were qualities to admire

The phrase “when it rains, it pours” is an often uttered cliche that does
not pertain to precipitation.

That reference involves a series of negative events in someone’s life. If
you attended St. Apollinaris School or Justin-Siena High in Napa, CA,
in the 1970s, 1980s, or 1990s, your world has been stormy recently. On
March 11, Greg Calvelo (Justin class of 1989) passed away three weeks
shy of what would have been his 48th birthday. On April 1, Jack Harris,
who was a 1988 graduate of Justin, passed away suddenly after a brief
stint in the hospital. He would have turned 50 in October.

Jack was active in 4-H as he grew up raising and showing pigs and goats.
He went to school at Vichy Elementary and St. Apollinaris, and later
graduated from Justin where he was active in drama and played football.
Jack cherished his friends, and this is where many of his strong bonds
began. He also attended and worked at Fresno City College in the
Adaptive PE program and Exceptional Adventure Inc.

After completing San Francisco City College Culinary Program, Jack
worked as a chef that brought him a lot of joy as well as those who
consumed what he cooked. Jack also had a passion for two professional
sports teams -- the San Francisco Giants and Oakland Raiders. Jack
leaves behind a multitude of friends and is survived by his wife
(Danielle) of 12 years. I never met his wife but I’ll say that he has good
taste because I have a daughter named Danielle. Nicely done, Jack.

Jack is also survived mother Isabel Harris, siblings Donnie Harris, Jeanne
Collins and her husband JR, Tim Harris, Jerry Harris and his wife Trena,
Mary Beth Woulfe and her husband Jim. Jack was also a kind-hearted
uncle to numerous nieces and nephews.

Jack’s life will be celebrated on April 12, 2019 at 3:00 p.m at Tulocay
Funeral Home followed by a Funeral Mass on April 13, 2019 at 11:00
a.m. at St. Apollinaris Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, the family
asks that you consider donating to Wilderness Inquiry- a non-profit
organization that makes it possible for kids and adults with disabilities
to go on adventures like the ones Jack loved. If you would like to
donate please go to the Facebook page
https://m.facebook.com/wildernessinquiry/ and click on fundraiser’s.

I knew Jack on the periphery for most of my formative years at both St.
A’s and Justin, where I graduated from in 1991. I use the term periphery
because Jack was a senior when I was a freshman. Considering such,
most kids will gravitate toward those in their class, or one year on
either side. However, in small school environments like St. A’s and
Justin, you feel like know acquaintances pretty well.

I last saw Jack in person eight years ago while shopping at the Safeway
Grocery Store in American Canyon, CA, which is South of Napa. We
talked at semi-length. I had taken over as the sports reporter for the
American Canyon Eagle, which is a weekly publication. I remember
Jack telling me that I was doing an awesome job and that he enjoyed
reading my stories in the newspaper. Hearing that from him meant a
lot because I knew he wouldn’t say it if he didn’t mean it.

Jack was an unmistakable figure as a stockily built fellow and from a
personality standpoint, he was gregarious, kind and friendly. It was
nearly impossible to be in a bad mood around Jack because of his
friendliness and sense of humor. I remember during and after my
college years I crossed paths with him at various watering holes from
time-to-time. I would be there with friends from my class. He would
be there with friends from his class.

When you are a kid, seniors aren’t going to hang out with freshmen.
However, when you are 21 years old, there’s little-to-no difference
between 21 and say, 24. I remember every time I saw Jack, we would
discuss the direction of our lives on a serious note and enjoy moments
of levity whether we were talking sports or virtually anything. Even
though we were not friends as far as doing things socially, when you
spoke to Jack, you considered him a friend.

Though I had not seen Jack in person in the previous eight years, we
stayed connected on Facebook. For all of social media’s flaws, staying
connected with people from other pockets of your life is a plus.

I don’t like speaking for others but I’m fairly certain I do in lieu of losing
two schoolmates. The stock lines people utter are “When it’s your time,
it’s your time,” and “We have no say when we come or go.” While I
fully understand that line of thinking, it comes off as robotic. Watching
two schoolmates die in less than a month, emotion wins. As a
middle-aged man, 46, seeing this chain of events involving people in
my age group has made me a) Take stock in my own mortality and b)
Has created feelings of vulnerability that I have never felt.

Most of all, this chain of events serves as a reminder that we don’t have
a 90-year lease on life. The sadness of losing Greg and Jack is immutable.
We have been programmed to think “you only live once” but that phrase
should be changed to “you live everyday, you die once.”

Though I am not a professional chef like Jack, I have developed a passion
for cooking. When I’m in the kitchen or on the BBQ cooking for my
family, I will think of Jack. I’ll make sure the aroma of my pasta sauce
rises to heaven.

Jack, I’m in no hurry to get to heaven but I know we will meet again some
day. Say hello to Greg. While you’re at it, say hello to Bob Morrish and
Dan Clark, which would represent half of Mount TeacherMore at Justin.

Though it’s not by choice, Heaven is gaining more greatness in humanity.