JOHN E. "JACK" McARDLE D.O.

JOHN E. "JACK" McARDLE D.O., 69, of Auburn, passed away on Friday, Dec. 11, 2009, with his wife, Karen A. McArdle. "In loving memory of our father." Born Nov. 14, 1940, in Fort Wayne, he was the son of the late Edward G. McArdle MD and Nancy Fox McArdle. He was an Anesthesiologist at DeKalb Memorial Hospital. He graduated high school from Cranwell Preparatory School, Lenox, Mass. He received his Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Notre Dame. After working in sales and real estate, doing cement work, and exploring a career as a mechanic, he decided to follow in his father's footsteps and become a physician. He attended the Kirksville Osteopathic Medical School, Kirksville, Mo. He started his medical career by spending a year as the only doctor on Mackinac Island. After working as a family doctor in Largo, Fla. for six years, he took his two daughters, his one-year old son and his wife to Trenton, Mich. to do a residency in anesthesia. He worked for eight years at Lansing General Hospital, and then moved to Clear Lake and then on to Auburn to work at Dekalb Memorial Hospital. The staff there will especially miss his wry sense of humor in the operating room. Not only did he love to travel and learn, he also gave his expertise to those in need on multiple medical missions to the Dominican Republic and Ecuador. He and Karen enjoyed traveling and took their family on road trips to see the U.S. every summer. Although he grew up Catholic, he only went back to the church during his mother's terminal illness. As he grew older he became much stronger in his faith and was an active member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and Saint Paul Catholic Chapel, Clear Lake, where he served as a Eucharistic minister. While living in Florida, he bought a used Force 5 sailboat and made a commitment to learn to sail it, despite its tendency to tip over, especially while sailing under causeways. He was a member of Clear Lake Yacht Club. On the weekends one of his greatest joys was sailing and racing with his wife, his children and grandchildren. During last summers racing season his crowning achievement was placing first in his class. He spent his childhood summers on Lake Wawasee, where his family had a cottage. He learned to water ski and was the first person on the lake to accomplish the feat of barefooting. He continued skiing and barefooting throughout his life and had recently taken up wakeboarding. Growing up in the 1950's with the hot rod street cruisers, he wanted one for his own and bought a Corvair and put a corvette engine in the backseat. His passion for buying, fixing up and selling cars, preferably at a profit, continued throughout his lifetime and included classes at Anthis Career Center to learn auto-body repair. If it was broken, he could fix-it, or at least he would give it his best shot, although his "one hour" projects often evolved into three hour to several day endeavors. He was proud to be called a "Jack" of all trades, and often referred to himself as a mechanic who happened to practice medicine. A lifelong learner, he had been a pilot for many years when he decided he wanted to learn to fly helicopters. He eventually bought a two-seater and many a friend fondly remembers their helicopter ride with him. He and Karen were truly partners throughout their 40 years together. He was Past President of Clear Lake Town Council where he was instrumental in the construction of a new town hall. The oldest of nine children, his family, both immediate and extended, was extremely important to him. He kept in contact with relatives across the U.S. and the world. He preferred to spend special occasions surrounded by those closest to him. In addition to spending every Christmas Eve with the immediate and extended McArdle clan, in the early 1980's, he and Karen joined his brother, Pat in the tradition of camping in the Smoky Mountains at Thanksgiving. "The tradition continues and we were blessed be able to spend this past Thanksgiving camping and hiking together." He is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Megan and Jonathan Moss of Auburn and Bridget McArdle D.O. and Matthew Place of Grand Blanc, Mich.; two sons and daughters-in-law, John E. "Trey" and Devon McArdle III of Clear Lake and Michael Vincent PhD MD and Gabrielle Billeter of Malibu, Calif.; grandchildren, Jonathan Moss, Michael Moss, Patrick Moss, Elizabeth Moss, Kelly McArdle, John E. "Jack" McArdle IV, Charlotte Vincent and William Place; brothers and sisters-in-law, Edward G. "Jerry" and Diane McArdle JR of Clear Lake, Timothy and LuAnn McArdle of Fort Wayne, Daniel and Laurie McArdle of Fort Wayne, Louis and Susan McArdle of New Orleans, La. and Shawn and Linda McArdle of Spencerville; sisters and brother-in-law, Colleen and John King of Roanoke and Nancy Bailey of Fort Wayne; sister-in-law, Janice McArdle of New Orleans, LA. He was preceded in death by a brother, Patrick McArdle. Mass of Christian Resurrection is 11 a.m. Thursday, with calling one hour prior, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 500 E. 7th St., Auburn. Visitation is from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Pinnington-McComb Funeral & Cremation Services, 502 N. Main St., Auburn. Memorials made to Lupke Foundation will be distributed to his favorite charities. To sign the guestbook or to leave a condolence, visit www.pinnington-mccomb.com