Walter Marion Jacks

September 22, 1935 - April 8, 2022

Walter Marion Jacks passed away on Friday, April 8, at the age of 86 at Blissful Gardens Senior Living in Cameron Park, California. He is survived by his loving wife Barbara; his sisters Sandie (Jim) Spicer and Deannie (Bob) Foreman; his children, Walter “Sonny” Jacks, Larry Jacks, and Kathy (Gary) Robson; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Walter was born September 22, 1935 in Anadarko, Oklahoma, the eldest child of Walter Clarence Jacks and Lorene Florence Gibson Jacks. He was the third to carry the name Walter Jacks, with his grandfather, Walter Quentin Jacks, being the first. As he was growing up, Walter’s family moved to Texas, then California, then back to Oklahoma, and finally back to California again when he was 12 years old. At San Jose Tech, he majored in auto service and repair, setting him up for a long career in machine work. Walter met the love of his life, Barbara Irene Rowton, at Faith Tabernacle Church in San Jose. They married the next year. This December would have been their 70th anniversary. Shortly after getting married, Walter got his first “real” job: machine operator for Sutherland Paper Company, where he would stay for 32 years until he became a partner in a new startup called Sierra Container based in Sacramento. He stayed on after Sierra was acquired by Temple Inland, and retired in 1998. Music was always a big part of Walter’s life. He played standup bass and guitar at his church and was playing for a gospel group when he met Don Gilbert, and the two of them started performing together as “Don & Walt.” They played for churches and released an album in 1963. He was still playing his guitar at church until his declining health prevented it. Funeral services will be held Friday, April 15 1:00PM at Green Valley Mortuary, 3004 Alexandrite Dr, Rescue, CA 95672.