Jack Haye

Jack Haye AKA Opa, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, artist, mentor, and cherished friend, passed away peacefully at his Petaluma home surrounded by family on July 3, 2025. As was his request, those in attendance sang along to Brokedown Palace by the Grateful Dead as he crossed over-a fitting tribute to a life lived fully and creatively.

Born on June 20, 1953, in The Hague, Netherlands, Jack was the son of Dutch-Indonesian parents, Willy Haije and Ilse Haije née Boon. After generations in the former Dutch East Indies and a short time in the Netherlands following World War II, Jack and his family immigrated to the United States when he was five years old. The family survived four years in prison camps during the war-a time of profound hardship. Though he rarely spoke of it, that legacy of resilience and immigration echoed throughout Jack's life, reflected in his kindness, humor, generosity, belief in collective strength, and enduring faith in the outsider.

He grew up in the San Gabriel Valley east of Los Angeles and graduated from Sierra Vista High School in Baldwin Park in 1971.

Throughout his life, Jack wore many hats-both literally and figuratively. A skilled carpenter in his early years, he built custom homes around Mendocino, California, before joining the pioneering visual effects team at Industrial Light & Magic. There he contributed to films as diverse as Back to the Future Part III, Mars Attacks!, The Phantom Menace, Minority Report, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Transformers, to name just a few. He was a founding member of the Visual Effects Society and a proud member of IATSE Local 16, serving as a union representative, stagehand, and technician on countless productions.

For more than 27 years, Jack was an integral and legendary part of the Burning Man community, bringing art, light, and joyful irreverence to the desert and beyond. In 2000, he collaborated on the creation of The Temple of the Mind, followed in 2001 by The Temple of Tears. This space of contemplation and remembrance became a pivotal part of the Burning Man experience-a place to honor those we have lost. He later became a key member of the Man-Base team, contributing to the design, planning, and fabrication of The Man and its surrounding pavilion. For years, he led the scrappy team responsible for the beloved Opa Lights, which continue to encircle the heart of the festival.

A longtime resident of Sonoma County, Jack was deeply involved in the local community, serving as an advisor to the Petaluma Arts Council and on the board of the Phoenix Theater. An amazing, natural born chef, he would feed legions of people on "taco nights" or whip up some spectacular "sophisticated hors d'oeuvres" for visitors and family alike.

Alongside his wife, Drew, he helped nurture the playful spirit of the downtown fixture, Heebe Jeebe General Store-whether keeping Champion the Wonder Horse running, curating and nurturing young artists at the Back House Gallery, or maintaining the old black-and-white photo booth. He was also instrumental in creating the annual Dia de los Muertos altar in the Lanmart Building.

Known for his playful spirit and deep generosity, Jack was a tinkerer, builder, creator, fixer, and collector. He loved 'the dump' as much as the gallery, believing that art could be found just as readily in a pile of rusty metal as on a canvas. Forever curious and a lifelong learner, his home brimmed with books-on everything from Napoleon and the empires of Central Asia to architecture, Elvis, shipbuilding, and obscure bridge engineering. His love of music of every flavor was legendary, attending and working endless concerts, collecting vinyl records, and old guitars. He leaves behind a legacy of artistry, mentorship, and friendship that spans decades and creative communities.

He is survived by his wife, Drew and their beloved dog Walter; step-son Henry (Nicole) their daughters, Luna and Fiona Jack; and his ex-wife, Nancy, with whom he shared three children-Aaron (Bridget), Sarah (Chris), and Mikael (Jessica)-and grandchildren Isabela, Billie, August, Caspar, Nathaniel Jack, and Magnolia. He is also survived by his brothers Robert and Jesse, and sisters Linda, Willi, and Diana. He was preceded in death by his brother Edward and his step-daughter, Phoebe, who passed away in 2008-a loss that remained close to his heart. Jack is lovingly remembered by the vast extended family he fostered in communities across the globe and by coworkers, collaborators, co-conspirators, and comrades-many of whom knew him simply as Opa or #jackwiththingsonhishead

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you create something in Jack's honor-whether it be a song, a story, a piece of art, or a simple act of kindness.

"Fare you well, my honey, fare you well, my only true one..."