New Page 1

Go West Young Jack, Go West
by Shauna Steele
November 7, 2004

Dear Arnett Family:
This is Shauna Steele, one of Jack's closest friends out in New Mexico. I was asked to write this on behalf of his many friends out here. We had a recent get together and memories of Jack began to fill the room. I wanted to post it on Jack's Memorial page, entitled "Go West Young Jack, Go West" but couldn't figure out how to go about it. We wanted people in Ohio who loved Jack to know more about his life in New Mexico and how beloved he was here by all of us.

I originally met Jack when he was living in Ohio. I am from Ohio and was back home to see family and friends. Jack was intrigued with going out west and traveling to see more of our country that he loved. Jack arrived with friends in New Mexico in August 1981. All of us remember what a great host Jack was. He went all out every holiday, especially Halloween and July 4th. Jack went over the top with decorations, sound effects, food and his love of good coffee. Jack had a bird, cats and dogs (Polly, Billy & Darby & his beloved Shadow,
Cary Grant and Howie). He even took care of my horse for a while. He also loved to travel. We all made trips together to meet up with friends in El Paso, Texas and in Tucson, Arizona. Jack camped and traveled to the West coast and throughout the great northwest. He collected postcards of places he had actually been to. He would show them around as though he had taken them as his own personal pictures. He loved day trips or camping in the Jemez mountains about 45 minutes up northwest from Albuquerque. He often visited old
ghost mines and Indian reservations too.

Jack was also a regular at the flea market, enjoying the sunshine and bargains. He took an interest in weight lifting to improve his health and began dieting to get in shape. Even so, Jack always joined his circle of friends out here every week for "Friday Night Supper Club" where everyone met up to have a meal, catch up and share tales of adventure. He loved to play pictionary and was known for giving his partner in the game excellent clues and his drawings were often hilarious to the point of tears. Jack was a hard worker and was known for his leadership and integrity. Jack was a regional manager for the Albuquerque Journal when he first got here.
Soon, he was inventory specialists with two firms specializing in gold, silver and precious gems. Jack was entrusted with contacting the silver/gold exchange every day & to ensuring that inventory was accurate down to the ounce. He was highly regarded by his coworkers.

From what I have written, I hope you know more about Jack's life out here when that young man decided to go west. We all loved Jack and we miss him mightily. Words cannot even begin to describe our feelings of grief and missing Jack. Our group of friends has not been the same since Jack's departure to
Ohio and then to heaven. The last time I talked to Jack, he had moved to Ohio, gotten married and was calling me because he heard I had gotten ill with breast cancer. He called to give me encouragement, pray with me and to cheer me up. It was a wonderful call from our dear friend. Thank you for reading some highlights of recollections of Jack in New Mexico.

Sincerely, Shauna Steele
(on behalf of New Mexico's Friends of Jack.) We will never forget him! ! !