Jack A. Hertz

Jack A. Hertz, age 80, died of complications from long Covid on August 28, 2022, at his home in Albuquerque, NM. He was surrounded by his wife, Sue, and close friends.

Jack was an avid and accomplished golfer as well as player of shofar for the high holidays. He will be missed for his delight in mischief, his love of debate, and his deep care and concern for loved ones and friends.

Jack is survived by his brother, Marc; three daughters, Amy, Melissa, and Elise; and two grandsons, Gordon, and Raymond. He was preceded in death by his youngest daughter, Stacy (1970-2020). He was born on April 21, 1942, to Ben and Pauline Hertz in Muncie, IN. He spent much of his childhood between Indiana and Miami Beach. He graduated from Indiana University in 1964 with a BS in Business Finance and was a member of the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity. He received a Master’s in Counseling in Psychology from Ball State in 1983.

Jack had a long and successful career in the linen supply business, first with the family-owned Mid-West Towel, where he oversaw an expansion from its Muncie headquarters to Toledo and Lima, OH as well as Huntington, WV, growing revenue by a factor of six. He received training at IBM in New York as well in order to bring the company its first computer in the early 1960s. Active in the industry associations, he worked at the local and national levels on various committees. He became a board member of the TRSA, an international textile rental trade association and presented papers on the industry in Hamburg, Germany and Killarney, Ireland. He went on to work for the publicly traded Unitog in Kansas City, where he eventually became vice president for acquisitions, followed by a stint as an independent acquisitions consultant for linen supply companies back in Carmel, IN.

In 1983, after receiving his master’s in counseling, Jack became a partner in an outpatient psychiatric clinic in Muncie. Over five years, the clinic expanded to three other locations.

In 2003, he moved to Albuquerque, NM to reconnect with his love Sue Frank. Of this period of his life he writes, “I finally got smart and married the most wonderful woman on the planet.”

Jack had wide ranging passions for politics, civic engagement, and his beloved Judaism. As a teenager he was active in the National Federation for Temple Youth (NFTY), attending national conferences and fundraising for children’s summer camps. He was president of Temple Beth El (Muncie), chairman of the local United Jewish Appeal with whom he traveled to Israel and Lebanon. His civic engagement included board posts with United Way, Indiana Family Planning & Health Council, Visiting Nurses Association, Sheltered Workshop and Boy Scouts Council. He was the treasurer of the Muncie Centennial Celebration as well as a sponsor with Junior Achievement. He achieved certification for and served as Guardian ad litem for Hamilton County, IN. In New Mexico he achieved certification for and served with CASA for Bernalillo County, and as Mediator for Albuquerque Metro Court.

His political activities included deep involvement in campaigns for Indiana politicians running for federal, state, and local offices. He worked for candidates of both major political parties.

The family would particularly like to thank Diana, Ashley, and Yalyany of Ambercare and Sue and Cam of Visiting Angels for their compassionate care in Jack’s final days.  A Gathering of family and friends will be held on Saturday October 22, 2022, between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., at the family home.