For someone who never actually lived in the Wood River Valley, Dr. John “Jack” Inman was one of the most popular people to ever spend time here. In more than 30 years of visiting his son John, his daughter-in-law Nicole and beloved grandson Liam Inman, in Ketchum, Jack had the opportunity to befriend lots of people. “He liked to meet and talk to everyone. He took an interest in just about everything that people did, whether it was someone washing windows or checking out at the grocery store,” explained John Inman. But what held Jack most rapt about his visits to Idaho was more than just the beauty of the place. “He told me numerous times over the years that one of his favorite things about coming here was my friends. ‘You have the greatest friends in the world,’ he told me. And he became friends with all of them,” remembered John Inman.
A pastor by profession, Jack earned a doctorate in theology and psychology and worked as a counselor and volunteer in Missouri, where he lived with his wife of 64 years, Peggy. Jack performed close to 20 marriage ceremonies over the years in Ketchum, including that of his own son and daughter-in-law.
Sadly Jack died on Friday, Aug. 10, 2012, at Crown Care Center in Harrisonville, Mo., at the age of 84, leaving a void in the lives of all who knew and loved him. In an effort to give his Idaho family and friends a chance to say goodbye, Peggy, John and Nicole Inman will hold a memorial in Jack’s honor on Saturday, Sept. 15, from 4-6 p.m. at the Bluebird Day Cafe on Highway 75 next door to the Clarion Inn.
Jack would have wanted all of his friends to celebrate his life and time spent in Ketchum and to keep the following sentiment in mind: “Don’t cry because it is over, smile because it happened.”
Hope to see you all on Saturday at the Bluebird.
