Jack Virden

GOLD CANYON - Jack "Lewis" Jackson Virden was born on Dec. 7, 1928, in Los Angeles, Calif., to Lewis and Elinor Virden. He died Feb. 28, 2012, at home in Gold Canyon. He and his brother, Larry, were raised in Bakersfield, Calif. During high school years his great joy was playing trumpet in dance bands around Bakersfield, including the La Granada Ballroom. He joined the U. S. Navy in 1946 and was discharged with a rating of ETS in 1948. He graduated from UCLA in 1952. He started his career in manufacturing in Los Angeles as a stock clerk and stayed in the manufacturing industry for 41 years, retiring in 1994 as Director of Administration for a medium size factory in San Jose. He spent 5 years in Pascagoula, Mississippi building nuclear attack submarines and 22 years in San Jose, Calif. He retired to Gold Canyon, Ariz., in 1994 with his wife Rusty, who suddenly passed away in 1996. He married Nancy in 1997. Jack enjoyed traveling and music. He played trumpet in the MountainBrook Band and also the Sonic Seniors New Horizons Band in Mesa, sang in the Gold Canyon Methodist Church choir for many years and with the Village Voices of MountainBrook for 16 years. Jack leaves his wife, Nancy; brother, Larry (Glenda); three nieces, one nephew, a step-son and wife and their son, and a step-daughter. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the East Valley Hospice, 1351 N. Alma School Road, Ste 250, Chandler, AZ 85224 or the Gold Canyon United Methodist Church, Kings Ranch Road, Gold Canyon. A celebration of Jack's life will be held on Friday, March 30, at 4 p.m. at the Gold Canyon United Methodist Church on Kings Ranch Road. Burial will be in Bakersfield. Jack's dry sense of humor, wisdom and kindness will be greatly missed in our community.