Jack Barkey

Jack BARKEY Will be remembered as a man who was a stranger to no one. He was an extremely outgoing individual who befriended all who met him. Jack died Monday Oct. 23, 2006 at the age of 78. Although he battled heart disease for many years, it never slowed him down. Jack was born on the Island of Rhodes in 1928. He left the island for Tangier, Morocco, with his two brothers, three sisters, parents and aunt in 1939. After WWII in 1946, the family was allowed to enter the United States, where they joined relatives in Seattle. Jack was part of the last large Jewish family to immigrate to Seattle from Rhodes to join Seattle's Sephardic Jewish community. He was always an industrious worker, acting as a supervisor at a tannery in Tangier and finding a job only two days after coming to Seattle. He worked at Leed's Shoe Store and eventually became an auditor for parent company Edison Brothers Stores. Jack joined the U.S. Army in 1951 and served for three years in Greenland and as a translator in Paris. He graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in accounting and spent more than 20 years working as an accountant for the Boeing Co. before retiring in the mid-1980s. A longtime resident of Renton, Jack in his retirement years volunteered for Highline Medical Center in Burien and the Kline Galland home in Seattle. With his affinity for languages and the ability to speak Spanish, French, Italian and English, he constantly met and befriended many new people. He enjoyed traveling and spending time with friends and family. Jack is survived by his sister, Regina Amira (Victor) of Seattle, brother, Morris Barkey (Flory) of Los Angeles, dear friend and companion, Jane Price of Kenmore and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Abraham and Matilda Barkey, sister, Claire Barkey Flash, sister, Rachel Erdrich and brother, Victor Barkey. Services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 24 at the Seattle Sephardic Brotherhood Cemetery, 1230 N. 167th St. in Shoreline. Remembrances may be sent to the Kline Galland home.