John A. "Jack" Eagle

Family-Placed Obituary

John A "Jack" Eagle Jack Eagle passed away of pneumonia on March 20, 2008 in Pacific Palisades, California under the loving watch of his grandchildren Rema and Camille Chidiac. He led an extraordinary life and will always be best remembered for being a fountain of quips, quotes and one-liners, as well as a businessman, a world spear fishing record holder and a paddle tennis player par excellence. Many claimed that his paddle tennis prowess stemmed as much from his ability to keep his opponents rolling on the court with laughter as it did from his athletic ability. Jack was born in May 3, 1915 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Both of his parents were exceptional individuals. His mother, Victoria Campbell, was a direct descendent of the Duke of Argyle and was an original Mayo Clinic nurse. His father, Captain Aubrey Eagle, was an Army Air Force pilot with "a yen for stunting dangerously" and a pioneer explorer in the late '20's of the wild interior of Mindoro Island in the Philippines. Jack spent his early teen years in the Philippines prior to Captain Aubrey being stationed in Vancouver, Washington. Jack attended high school at Grant High School in Portland, Oregon where he was a first-team all-state basketball player graduating in 1934. He continued his basketball career after high school at Southern Oregon College ("SOC"). The formidable SOC basketball team was coached by the legendary Howard Hobson, an NCAA Basketball Hall of Fame member, who subsequently led Oregon in 1939 to the first ever NCAA college basketball championship. Jack Eagle was enshrined in the SOC Sports Hall of Fame in 2001. Jack moved to Honolulu on a whim in 1938 and was employed briefly by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and later by D. C. Andrews & Company from 1940 to 1946. From 1947 to 1958 he was a co-owner of Bireley's, soft drink company with plants in Honolulu, Tokyo, Bangkok and Manila. He served from 1942 to 1950 as a member of the Honolulu Police Reserve. Early on after arriving in Honolulu he developed a deep love of the ocean. His diving friends were many of the old Waikiki beach boys like Blue Makua, Steamboat and Panama. Jack Eagle, Jack Ackerman and Wally Young, all legendary water men, volunteered in the early '50's to teach diving and spear fishing to military personnel on Johnson, Eniwetok and Kwajalein Islands where Jack set a world spear fishing record. One of his greatest business triumphs was the purchase of Consolidated Amusement Company, Ltd. in 1958. The company was purchased and the individual parts, including a theater chain and the Kapiolani Drive-In (now the core of the Kapiolani business district) were spun off individually at a significant gain. Profit from that venture was reinvested with Texas and Oklahoma partners to start Incline Village at Lake Tahoe. At his passing, Jack was the seventh longest member in length of membership of the Outrigger Canoe Club. Most notably, he was President of The Pacific Club in 1958 when the beautiful new club, designed by famed architect Val Ossipof, was completed. He won numerous Pacific Club sand volleyball and paddle tennis championships over the years. Jack spent his later years as a regular noon-time cards and cribbage player at The Pacific Club. Few if any of us have ever seen him raise his voice or offer criticism of another. He was always a gentleman and a person of good humor and camaraderie. He is survived by children David, Judy, Jonathan, Mary and Paul. He was predeceased by daughter Sherrill Chidiac. His grandchildren are Rema Chidiac, Camille Chidiac, Christiane Masiello, Lamya Chidiac, Billy Eagle, Sara Eagle and Scott Soderstrom. Great grandchildren are Charles DuPont, Cecilia Masiello and Isabella Masiello. There will be an informal reception in remembrance of Jack at The Pacific Club from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, May 2nd with a member RSVP sheet at the front desk. There will also be a Celebration of Life at the Outrigger Canoe Club between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 3rd. Friends of Jack are invited and should RSVP to Judy Eagle at 637-4886. Jack will be missed by all who were privileged to know him. A true gentle man has passed away. Updated on 05/03/2008.