Lasting Memories

Jack Bennett Power
July 6, 1943-May 11, 2017
Redwood Valley, California

Jack Bennett Power, a native of Palo Alto, died May 11, 2017 at Stanford hospital. He was 73.

He was born July 6, 1943, in Savannah, Georgia, and moved to Palo Alto with his parents in 1947.

He attended Walter Hays Elementary School, Jordan Junior High School and graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1961.

In 1965, he graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor's degree in psychology. While an undergraduate, he was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and also studied abroad at the Stanford campus in Florence, Italy.

In 1970, he graduated from Stanford Medical School with a medical degree and married Vivian Sotomayor. Shortly afterwards, he joined the Public Health Service and worked with under-served communities in Arizona (Hopi and Navajo tribes), Alaska (Eskimo tribes) and western Puerto Rico.

In 1985, the couple moved to Redwood Valley where they built their family home. His roots in their local medical community were extensive: a family practice residency at Community Hospital of Sonoma County; the directorship of the Emergency Department at Sutter Warrack Hospital; and service at many other emergency departments and small health clinics, which anchored his family medicine practice. Here, he bonded with the area's under-served populations through his fluent Spanish. He continued his inclination toward public service throughout his career, which included traveling to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina and the earthquake in Haiti.

He was admired by staff and patients for his calming demeanor. He was also noted as kind, witty, strong, astute and hard-working, with a healthy appetite for life. As a talented pianist, music was his passion.

He is survived by his wife, Vivian of Redwood Valley; daughters, Erin Power (Randy Sherwood) of Watsonville and Jade Power (Jose Fuste) of Seattle, Washinton; sisters, Jude Power of Bayside and June Power of Palo Alto; and grandchildren, Xenia, Amaury and Surem. He was predeceased by his parents, Jack and Marjorie Power of Palo Alto.