John Penn Fix Jr.

08/31/1926 - 02/04/2011

FIX,
John Penn Jr.
"Jack" (Age 84)

Jack passed away peacefully on February 4, 2011 in his home surrounded by his family. He was born on August 31, 1926 in Spokane to John Penn Fix, Sr. and Lois Dodson Fix. Grandson of early pioneers to Spokane (Dodson 1887) and Lewiston, Idaho (Fix 1875), Jack grew up in Spokane but spent his high school years at Lakeside School in Seattle. He was student body president and an outstanding three-sport athlete, graduating in 1944. He spent one semester at Stanford University before enlisting in the Army and WWII. After the war, he returned to Stanford, married Sally Barnett, and graduated in 1949 with degrees in business and history. They soon returned to Spokane for Jack to join Dodson's Jewelers, the family business founded in 1887 by his grandfather George R. Dodson and managed by his father. Jack developed a great love of the jewelry industry and was instrumental in its professionalization during fifteen years on the Board of Governors of the Gemological Institute of America in the 1950s and 1960s. Jack's passion was gemology; as a certified gemologist with the American Gem Society, his expertise was well respected in the industry. Jack used his business sense and merchandising and marketing skills to grow a multi-store operation with unprecedented sales growth year after year. He took great pride in his management style that encouraged his employees to excel and enjoy their work at the store. As a result, many of them worked at Dodson's for over thirty years. Although Jack stepped away from active management of the business in 2000 after fifty years of leadership, he continued to come his office until his recent illness. Jack's other passion was his love for the Fix family farm in Genesee, Idaho, purchased by his grandfather in 1883 and farmed for the past forty years by Russ and Kathy Zenner.

Jack participated in many Spokane business and civic organizations. He was a member of the Retail Trade Bureau involved in Expo '74, and became the first president of the Spokane Central Business Association, which named him 1981 "Spokane Downtowner of the Year." He was also president of the University Club and member of the downtown Rotary Club and the Spokane Chamber of Commence. He served on the Lakeside School (Seattle) Board of Directors and held memberships at the Spokane Country Club and the Spokane Club.

Jack will always be remembered for his great warmth and unyielding kindness towards all people. His humility, exceptional tolerance, and sharp wit were hallmarks of his personality. He loved life, lived it well, and was immensely fun to be around. He was the rock in the lives of his children and grandchildren. And at the age of sixty, he found the true love of his life in Becky, his wife of twenty-four years. "Pops" was one of a kind and will be deeply missed.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents John and Lois, brother George Dodson Fix, and first wife Sally B. Martyn. He is survived by his wife Becky; children and their spouses, Penn Fix and Debra Schultz, Barney Fix and Marsha Rooney, Sara Fix, and Monica Fix; grandchildren Louise and Pierce, and Jedediah and Kirsten; stepson Christopher Greene and stepdaughter Taylor Greene Kaiser, husband Brett and daughter Lauren; niece Larkin Barnett and nephews Rob and Bryan Barnett; first cousins Dick and Bob Porter, and second cousin Bill Fix and wife Harriet; and Becky's immediate family, Cindy Henderson, Kathryn and Patrick Bruseth, Christy Juel, and Candice Henderson.

The family would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Kirk Lund and his staff, the oncology and infusion departments of SHMC, and Hospice of Spokane for the wonderful care and compassion given to Jack. A memorial service will be held on Friday, February 11 at 11:00 am at The Cathedral of St. John followed by a reception at the Spokane Club. A private family burial service will be held later at Riverside Memorial Park. In remembrance of Jack's love of history and his spiritual strength, memorial contributions may be made in his name to the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (MAC) or The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Please visit Jack's on-line memorial: www.hennesseyfuneralhomes.com. Arrangements
entrusted