Jack Lawrence Abarca

Jack Lawrence Abarca, beloved father, grandpa, brother, uncle, and friend, passed away at Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center on July 10, 2024, almost one month shy of his 68th birthday. The youngest of sixteen children, Jack is preceded in death by his parents, Pascual and Dolores, as well as his siblings Tony, Gilbert, Coco, Vicky, Sal, Lucy, Willie, Jesse, and Alex. He is survived by his children Jacqueline and Justin, and the apples of his eye, his grandchildren Violet and Archie, along with his siblings Gloria, Eleanor, Freddie, Bobby, Mary, Johnny, and his best friend, Gary.

Born on August 11, 1956, in San Bernardino, CA, Jack spent the majority of his life as a professional hairdresser and was damn good at it. According to his children, no one could cut their hair like their dad. Even after being semi-retired from the profession, he still insisted on giving his grandchildren, aka his “chamaquitos,” their first haircuts, which he would look at proudly and utter his trademark, “C’mon wit it.”

A proud born-again Christian, Jack wore his heart on his sleeve, literally. His left arm was covered in tattoos dedicated to his faith, and on his right shoulder, he bore the image of a young Native American woman, a nod to his Apache and Yaqui ancestors. A food lover, there was never a dish he wouldn’t try or a travel food show he would miss. The weirder the food, the more intriguing it was to him, like his obsession with trying durian (breadfruit) since Anthony Bourdain loved it and Andrew Zimmern hated it (he ended up falling more in line with Zimmern).

Jack will be dearly missed by all who loved him, but there is solace in knowing he is reunited with so many who went before, including the love of his life, his Pomeranian, Angel.

Apache Grief Blessing: May the sun bring you energy every day, bringing light into the darkness of your soul. May the moon softly restore you by light, bathing you in the glow of restful sleep and peaceful dreams. May the rain wash away your worries, and cleanse the hurt that sits in your heart.