Jacques C. Roos

Mar 11, 1928 Jan 25, 2022

Jacques Roos passed away peacefully on January 25th in Palo Alto with his sons by his side.

He was a third-generation Californian, born in San Francisco on March 11, 1928, to Camil and Lenore Roos. Jacques (nicknamed “Bud” by his mother which stuck with him with his kids through his entire life—he was Jack to everyone else), grew up in the Forest Hills area of San Francisco. He met our mother, Bettye Isaacs, at Temple Emanu-El Sunday school. They went on to attend high school at Lowell High together. Jack graduated from U.C. Berkeley and had the good fortune of attending Cal when, with his critical support from the stands, Cal went to the Rose Bowl several times during his tenure (sadly, never to see such success again during his life even though he would go to virtually every Cal football game while his health allowed it). Jack and Bettye raised three boys in the Sea Cliff neighborhood of San Francisco (the famous 29th Avenue) around the corner from his sister-in-law and brother-in-law and best friends, Lois and Julian Rhine. Jack spent the majority of his professional life as a businessman working at Merritt College in Oakland

- a significant part of his time there was during the black power movement of the 60s and 70s. Jack and Bettye moved to San Mateo in the late 1980s. After Jack retired from Merritt, he started a new career as a travel agent, allowing Bettye and him to follow their passion for foreign travel.

They were lucky enough to travel to Eastern Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, and Japan to name a few of their favorite places. They particularly loved taking their grandchildren on cruises (in pre-COVID days).

Everyone who knew Jack will tell you he was the nicest guy in the world. He was a kind man always thinking of his friends, of which he had many, but most of all, caring deeply about his family. Jack loved taking his family on annual summer trips to Lake Tahoe and winter trips to Sun Valley, Idaho, where his oldest son Brad, opened in 1978 the most popular bar in town Whiskey Jacques named after Jack. He took particular joy in seeing his grandchildren grow up, and seeing, at least through Face Time, his 5 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 69 years, Bettye; and survived by his three children Brad (Susan), John (Susie), Michael (Juli) and his six grandchildren, their spouses and five great-grandchildren, niece Victoria, nephews Andy (Jill), Larry (Amanda), Ron (Cynthia), cousins by dozens and grand-nephews and grand-nieces. If you wish to honor Jack with a donation, please consider The Trees Remember

https://thetreesremember.com/memorial-trees/, CAL football, or the charity of your choice.