John "Jack" Edmond Gamache
June 18, 1937 — August 16, 2019
John "Jack" Edmond Gamache, 82, passed away peacefully Friday, August 16, 2019, at Columbus Hospice. The family invites friends to drop by Pop UPtown (1234 Broadway) between 1pm and 3pm Saturday, August 31, and join them as they celebrate his life and legacy.
Jack, as he preferred to be called, was born June 18, 1937, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the son of Romeo and Leona Gennette Gamache. He served with the U.S. Army before moving to Columbus more than 60 years ago. Upon moving to the South, Jack quickly came to be known as ‘The Southern Yankee' to friends, colleagues, clients and new acquaintances. The self-proclaimed nickname was well-known throughout his sales career in the automotive and printing industries. He retired from Communicorp in 1997.
Jack never met a stranger. He was an engaging conversationalist and successful businessman, but of his many gifts perhaps none shone brighter than his generosity and dedication to children. For many Christmas seasons during the 1990s and 2000s, he delighted children and adults, alike, when he appeared as the Windsor Park neighborhood Santa Claus. Jack and his son, Jason, also spearheaded the Teddy Bear Round Up during the holidays, collecting and distributing toys to non-profits, military bases and war-torn areas around the world for many years. On December 11, 2007, the City of Columbus adopted a resolution commending the duo for having donated more than 48,000 toys to children in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Jack loved to garden. He loved baseball and hockey. And he loved helping others.
He is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Cindy; a son, Jason (Alayne); and daughters, Lynn D. Player and Kym Childs (Mike), all of Columbus; a sister Barbara Hrycay of Milwaukee; seven grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren.
In honor of the life and legacy of Jack Gamache, the family has formed a team - The Southern Yankees - that will take part in the upcoming Walk To End Alzheimer's event in Columbus in September, benefitting the Alzheimer's Association. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to celebrate Jack may donate to the event at http://act.alz.org/goto/TheSouthernYankees or to the Alzheimer's Association.
Jack, as he preferred to be called, was born June 18, 1937, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the son of Romeo and Leona Gennette Gamache. He served with the U.S. Army before moving to Columbus more than 60 years ago. Upon moving to the South, Jack quickly came to be known as ‘The Southern Yankee' to friends, colleagues, clients and new acquaintances. The self-proclaimed nickname was well-known throughout his sales career in the automotive and printing industries. He retired from Communicorp in 1997.
Jack never met a stranger. He was an engaging conversationalist and successful businessman, but of his many gifts perhaps none shone brighter than his generosity and dedication to children. For many Christmas seasons during the 1990s and 2000s, he delighted children and adults, alike, when he appeared as the Windsor Park neighborhood Santa Claus. Jack and his son, Jason, also spearheaded the Teddy Bear Round Up during the holidays, collecting and distributing toys to non-profits, military bases and war-torn areas around the world for many years. On December 11, 2007, the City of Columbus adopted a resolution commending the duo for having donated more than 48,000 toys to children in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Jack loved to garden. He loved baseball and hockey. And he loved helping others.
He is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Cindy; a son, Jason (Alayne); and daughters, Lynn D. Player and Kym Childs (Mike), all of Columbus; a sister Barbara Hrycay of Milwaukee; seven grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren.
In honor of the life and legacy of Jack Gamache, the family has formed a team - The Southern Yankees - that will take part in the upcoming Walk To End Alzheimer's event in Columbus in September, benefitting the Alzheimer's Association. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to celebrate Jack may donate to the event at http://act.alz.org/goto/TheSouthernYankees or to the Alzheimer's Association.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John "Jack" Edmond Gamache, please visit our flower store.