John "Jack" Franklin Rand

July 6, 1947 – October 4, 2022

John Franklin Rand died peacefully in Nashville, Tennessee, on October 4, 2022, surrounded by his family after a six-month battle with a rare brain infection. He was 75 years old.

Jack, as he was known, is survived by his three children: his son, Davis Gardner Rand, and his daughters, Emily Franklin Rand and Kate Alden Rand. He was predeceased by his sisters, Laura and Leslie Rand.

The son of William Blanchard Rand and Emily Franklin Rand, Jack was born on the North Shore of Long Island, New York, where he attended The Green Vale School. His father, William, was the President of the United States Lines, and Jack spent his early-teen summers working in shipping yards at home and in Europe. It was during these years Jack also would visit Hayfields, his family's farm in Cockeysville, Maryland, spending his days with the horses and evenings around the piano with his mother and grandparents.

Jack attended Deerfield Academy, where he played varsity soccer, sang in the Glee Club, and formed friendships that would last a lifetime. Jack brought his Yankee attitude down to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he continued to shine on the soccer field and stir up trouble as a member of St. Anthony’s Hall. While at UNC, Jack’s innate sense of duty led him to sign up for the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) and join the United States Marine Corps upon graduation in 1969. Years later, all three of his children would follow in his footsteps, attending Deerfield for high school and UNC for undergrad.

After graduating from Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Jack served as a Tank Platoon Commander for the 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, California. He then transferred to Okinawa, Japan, where he was severely injured in a scuba diving accident that limited function in both shoulders. Despite that setback, Jack returned to full duty, joined the Marine Corps pentathlon team, and competed around the world. To those who know Jack, it is no surprise that his physical fitness and marksmanship stood out even amongst a group as intense as the USMC.

Following an honorable discharge from the Marine Corps with the rank of Captain, Jack went on to pursue an M.B.A. at Harvard Business School, joining a network that would play an invaluable role in his life. Jobs at CitiBank and then Morgan Stanley led him back to New York, where he lived for several years, meeting his future wife Penn at a “coincidental” run-in arranged by their mothers one Sunday evening.

By the early 1980s, Jack and Penn decided they'd had enough of city life and moved out West to Denver, Colorado to start a family surrounded by nature and big skies. Here, Jack embarked on countless fly fishing trips with his son, Davis, as well as dear friends throughout the years. During his marriage, he also spent many summers on Fishers Island, New York, where he could be found attempting to bribe his daughters with the promise of a beautiful sunrise to go fishing with him on Long Island Sound.

Jack’s professional achievements were numerous. He was a successful businessman, utilizing his HBS and banking experience to help build and grow numerous companies both as an operator and investor. Outside his commercial endeavors, he was a valued advisor and Board member for multiple non-profit organizations.

Some of the most fulfilling work of Jack’s career came through his service as a trustee at the Colorado Outward Bound School (COBS). Jack found his passion in providing lasting, transformative outdoor experiences for youth and adults over his nearly 40 years of volunteer work with COBS. As a Board member beginning in 2013, his role was two-fold: applying business strategies to help inform the direction of COBS and spearheading its fundraising efforts. In 2015, Jack stepped up as Chairman of the Board to lead a capital campaign that would totally transform the school’s trajectory, ushering it out of a difficult period and into a thriving, sustainable organization.

Jack’s passion for the Rocky Mountain wilderness – fueled by summers spent breaking horses, leading pack trips, and fly fishing in Montana – also led him to become involved with the Montana Land Reliance. Jack’s passionate involvement and ability to attract potential donors helped the Land Reliance celebrate one million acres of conserved wildlife easements in August 2017.

Jack’s highest praise of someone's character came down to three things: kindness, a penchant for hard work, and a good sense of humor – values he worked hard to emulate himself. He loved to meet new people and prioritized making the extra effort to learn about their lives. Jack had so much gratitude for life – whether it was for something as seemingly ordinary as a "fabulous" 5:00 AM workout or as extraordinary as a strong, loving network of family and friends. He made a positive difference in the lives of so many. Jack loved his friends dearly, and he took great pride in his family. He will be profoundly missed.

“Jack was a great father, a dear friend, and gave a damn about doing things the right way.”

A memorial service will be held at the Union Club, 101 E 69th St. in New York, NY on October 20, 2022, at 4:30pm with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jack’s name can be made to one of his favorite organizations:

Colorado Outward Bound School: 3840 York Street, Suite 150, Denver, CO 80205 or https://www.cobs.org/donate/

Montana Land Reliance: The Montana Land Reliance, PO Box 355, Helena, MT 59624 or https://mtlandreliance.org/donate/

Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation: https://www.mcsf.org/donate/

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Brentwood-Roesch-PattonFuneralHome.com for the Rand family.