John Black 1936 - 2016

BLACK, GILL, JACOBS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/10/2017 at 19:10:11

Sioux City Journal
8 January 2017

SIOUX CITY | John Black, a longtime resident of Santa Cruz County, Calif., formerly of Sioux City, passed away after a prolonged illness in Roseville, Calif., on Sept. 18, 2016.

Graveside services will be 1:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, in Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, Calif. It will be followed by a dinner celebrating his life at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, at the Northridge Country Club in Fair Oaks, Calif.

He was born on Sept. 30, 1936, in Hampstead, England, to Isabella Gill and Adam Black. They lived in London during the bombing raids of World War II. In 1953, the family moved to Sioux City, where John and his sister, Isobel, graduated from Central High School. John joined the U.S. Navy after graduation and enjoyed peacetime duty in the Mediterranean.

He returned to Sioux City and married Carol Jacobs in 1961. They moved to California and settled in Santa Cruz County, where John became a U.S. citizen. He was hired by PG&E at the Moss Landing Power Plant in November 1961. In 1963, they welcomed their first child, Daphne, and in 1969 their second child, David. The children both were influenced by John's gifts for engineering and art, particularly photography. Daphne especially appreciated her dad's Project Box that fostered her artistic abilities. David was encouraged to learn how a power plant operates and he eventually pursued his career in electrical engineering and power production.

John retired from PG&E in 1995 but continued to work in various nuclear facilities during system outages. Ill health finally forced him to accept full retirement and leave his beloved home near the ocean in Aptos. He and Carol moved to the Sacramento area to be close to David and his family.

John is survived by his wife, Carol; his daughter, Daphne (Chris) of Prosper, Texas; and his son, David (Josie) of Fair Oaks, Calif. He also leaves his four grandchildren, Madeleine, Lauren, Lukas and Alexander; his sister, Isobel Houpt and her children, Glen and Michelle.

The family is very grateful for the help of his doctor Mark Lam, MD, Sutter VNA and Hospice, and especially Beba Kikanovic, his special caregiver.

Memorials in his name can be made to Sutter Care at Home, 3001 Lava Ridge Ct. Ste. 330, Roseville, CA 95661.