Jack Alban

Jack Alban Jack Alban, 61, of Idaho City and Nampa, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007 of a sudden and unexpected cerebral hemorrhage. Jack had a strong faith and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior; we know that he is in heaven with Him for eternity. A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 10 a.m. at Nampa First Church of the Nazarene, 1601 16th Ave. South, in Nampa. To honor Jack's enthusiasm for sports and other hobbies, a luncheon will follow the service in the church fellowship hall, including the showing of the Boise State football game on a big-screen TV. If you would like, bring a potluck dish to share. Jack was born May 29, 1946 in San Francisco, Calif. to George and Vevien Alban. His younger years were spent in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and the San Diego area. He graduated from El Capitan High School in Lakeside, Calif., in 1963, graduated from San Diego State University in 1967, received his Master's Degree in Psychology from UCLA in 1968, and received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from UCLA in 1980. He was a professor at Christian Heritage College in El Cajon, Calif., then worked in various capacities at Northwest Nazarene College including Director of Enrollment Management, Professor of Psychology and Math, and Head Baseball Coach. From 1988 to 1995, he was a psychologist at Warm Springs Counseling Center in Boise. In 1995, he started his full-time private practice in his home in Nampa, Alban Psychological Practice. He retired Oct. 31, 2006 after a successful and rewarding career helping people of all ages. He enjoyed helping children the most. Jack married Jennifer Chezem on Aug. 4, 1973. They resided in Los Angeles while they both attended UCLA, then moved to Lakeside, Calif. in 1976 and to Nampa, Idaho in 1980. In July 2006 Jack and Jennifer bought their dream retirement home in Idaho City. He thanked God everyday that he lived in Idaho. Jack had a multitude of interests and abilities. He loved sports of all kinds and was active as a participant, coach, referee, and spectator. He especially liked baseball, college football and basketball, and golf. He was a natural athlete who had played tennis and racquetball, and had been a professional glider pilot. He was highly competitive. He liked playing card and board games of all kinds and he usually won. One of his highest priorities was spending time with his sons - watching, encouraging, and coaching them in their sports and academic competitions. Those were some of his best memories. He loved the outdoors, and enjoyed birding, fishing, hunting, and geocaching. He had seen 632 species of birds in North America. He had fun planning trips, loved to travel, and had been to all 50 states, often birdwatching along the way. He and Jennifer had traveled to Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica, and had made four trips to Europe, most recently a three week trip to Eastern Europe. He enjoyed taking road trips with his friends and family. Since 1985, he had taught an adult Sunday School class, the Joint Heirs, at First Church of the Nazarene; his class was like a family to him. He was a lifelong learner, and had read most of his several thousand volumes of books. He did a crossword puzzle nearly every day. He loved dogs, especially his Brittany Spaniels. He was very outgoing, liked a good laugh, loved helping people, and made friends easily. He really enjoyed living in Idaho City, the many friends he had already made there, and coaching the Middle School Boy's Basketball team. Most of all he was a great example of what it meant to be a loving husband, father, friend, and Christian. He will be deeply missed by all of us who knew and loved him. He is survived by his wife Jennifer, his sons Daniel and David, his daughter-in-law Lindsay, his step-mother Doris Alban, his step-father Frank Swiontek and his beloved dog Sadie. He was preceded in death by his father George Alban, his mother Vevien Swiontek, his brother Keith, and his grandparents. For those who wish to make donations in lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Jack's name to any of the following: Hands of Hope, 1201 S. Powerline Rd., Nampa, ID 83686, Idaho City Christian Center, P.O. Box 33, Idaho City, ID 83631, or the Idaho City Schools Athletic Fund, P.O. Box 227, Idaho City, ID 83631.