“Jack” Imhof, 85, died on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015 in his WillowBrooke Court residence at Lanier Village Estates, Gainesville, GA. He was born January 10, 1030 in New York City, the son of Lutheran parents, John and Tillie Imhof, who had immigrated to America from Europe. Jack graduated from High School of Commerce in New York City. He got his college education at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ, where in 1952 he earned his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering with emphasis on Plastics.
Jack enjoyed playing amateur soccer all through high school and college. He was an adventurous young man. After college he traveled across the entire South American continent with a friend, touring the Amazon and Andes Mountains. He also was an inactive reserve officer with the US Coast Guard for four years (1953-1957), having been commissioned as a Lieutenant at the US Coast Guard Academy in new London, CT.
Some highlights from Jack’s career-building years include employment with Empire Brushes, Inc. of Port Chester, NY from 1961-1966, working as a Manager and Plant Superintendent; then several years of employment with Doubleday and Company, Inc. in Berryville, VA as a Production Superintendent and Plant Manager Associate; and finally a 30-year career with Rubbermaid Commercial Products (now Newell-Rubbermaid) in Winchester, VA. As a professional Jack was a member of the Society of Plastics Engineers.
Jack met Margret on an ocean liner while crossing the Atlantic en route to Europe. After going their separate ways in Europe, Jack and Margret rendezvoused on board ship for their return transatlantic voyage back to America.
At the time Jack was between jobs, and Margret became instrumental in Jack’s employment with Empire Brushes, Inc., where she was working. The couple married on September 2, 1961, and thus began 53 years of a happy life together. They raised a family of two boys, Eric and John Jr.
When Jack retired from Rubbbermaid in the late 1990s, he and Margret moved to Hilton Head, SC, where Jack pursued other interests including tennis, golf, travel, painting (oil-on-canvas), and woodworking. Jack and Margaret loved traveling- going on cruises to Jamaica and vacationing in Montego Bay, and touring National Parks in the western United States.
Jack was well-read and up on current events and politics. He was an intellectual who saw the value of a good education and sought to instill those values in his sons. He was a good father who taught his boys by example and precept. He was a hard-working, industrious man who achieved a lot in life. As an engineer Jack was serious, precise and meticulous, but he was also very caring and loving as a husband, father and friend.
Jack is survived by his devoted wife, Margret, at Lanier Village Estates; by his tow sons, Eric, of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and John Jr. of New York City; by his two grandchildren, Erin (15) and Ryan (13) of Ft. Lauderdale; and by his brother, Louis of Greenwich, NY.
A Memorial Celebration of Jack’s life will be at Lanier Village Estates on Saturday, April 25, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. in the LVE Chapel, followed by a Reception in the Auditorium.
Memorial Park North Riverside Chapel; 989 Riverside Drive; Gainesville, GA 30501. 770-297-6200
