Jack "Ivory" O’Brien

1933 - 2015

Jack Ivory O'Brien, "Ivory Jack," died July 11, 2015, at age 81 in Palm Desert, California, where he and his wife, Tanya had a winter home. He fought a short but courageous battle with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
Jack was born Nov. 15, 1933, in Murray, Utah, to John Francis and Ruth Hobbs O'Brien. As a young man in the 1950s, Jack developed a lifelong love for cars and motorcycles. He graduated from Jordan High School, where he excelled in track and boxing. In Utah, he worked his way up in the restaurant business, becoming an excellent cook, and became a partner in a bar and restaurant. He also worked for his dad in his drilling company, and was a heavy equipment operator at Kennecott Copper Mine.
In 1964, Jack moved to Vacaville, California, where he owned and operated a small private airport and flying business. He heard from one of his flight instructors about an opportunity to acquire a homestead in Alaska, which he did, sight unseen. In 1970, he moved his family to the property in the Goldstream Valley.
During his early years in Alaska, Jack worked for R&M Engineering doing drilling work and for the school district, while developing his property with an airstrip. He loved Alaska history and mining artifacts, and Native culture and artwork. He flew to villages, buying and trading for artwork and ivory, earning his nickname, "Ivory Jack."
Jack and his former wife Elsie built and ran the Goldstream General Store and Ivory Jacks Restaurant for many years. He continued to develop other successful businesses after selling Ivory Jacks in 1980. Among those were the Fairbanks Inn Restaurant and Bar, gift shops at the Fairbanks Inn and Traveler's Inn, the Puffin Shop, the Fox Roadhouse, the Gold Exchange Bar & Grill and the Iris Café and Saloon, with daughter, Kim. When he attempted retirement in Hawaii, he instead acquired and operated a charter fishing boat business and a macadamia nut farm.
Jack married Tanya in 1999, in Palm Desert, California, and they were able to travel the world together, expanding even further Jack's knowledge, and love of adventure. They remodeled and ran the Chatanika Gold Camp for many years, sharing the workload with each other, and the fine food with the locals and their guests.
Jack was a hard worker and an energetic entrepreneur who was generous to many. He had a great sense of humor and loved to tell a good story. He was a voracious reader, which, combined with his natural intelligence and curiosity, made him self-taught on a wide range of subjects. Jack was known for his bigger than life personality, colorful vocabulary and "telling it like it is."
Jack was preceded in death by his parents, John and Ruth, his youngest brother, Fred Charles O'Brien, and his great nephew, Riley O'Brien.
Jack is survived by his loving wife of 16 years Tanya, who cared for him until the end, and her daughter Jaylene, who also became an important part of Jack's life. He also is survived by his brother, Ken O'Brien (Lisa), and by his former wife, Elsie O'Brien and their children, Lesa Meath (Bobby) and Kim O'Brien. Also surviving are his daughters, Colleen O'Brien (Luis Salazar) and Marcie Beistline (Bill), and their mother, Doris Bird.
Jack thoroughly enjoyed and was proud of his 16 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. He leaves behind many nieces and nephews, and a host of good friends.
Friends and family are invited to drop by a reception celebrating Jack's life at the Miner's Hall, Rivers Edge Resort, from 3-6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jack's name to "Making Strides Against Cancer," at main.acsevents.org/goto/inmemoryofjack, or to the Literacy Council of Alaska, www.literacycouncilofalaska.org/Donations.html.
Please visit www.legacy.com/obituaries/newsminer to sign an online guest book.