gmhTODAY 20 gmhToday June July 2018 | Page 89

Jack Escover Gilroy resident, Jack Escover, 77, and his wife Maggie, were barely in their twenties when their fi rst child, Tami, now 54, was born. In the years that followed, the fam- ily grew to include: John, 51; Tim, 50; Jill, 43; and Tyler (Ty), 41. “Well it was a lot easier with the last one,” Escover said with a smile. The couple has embraced the empty nester stage of their lives with one of their greatest joys being their grandchildren. They have ten in all, ranging from six to 26. “We’re so involved with our kids and our grandkids,” Escover said. All the Escover children maintain a strong connection with their parents, regularly inviting them on family gath- erings and trips. They also have a tendency to look after them, whether they need it or not. “It’s interesting, they think you’re limited. We’re both in pretty good shape,” Escover said confidently. The patriarch of the family of five teaches part-time for both National and DeVry Universities. Before his teaching career began in 1975, Escover worked for Lockheed Martin for 34 years. During that time he made a choice, one he’s never regretted. “I made a decision to not stay and work for 10, 12, hours like a lot of the other people,” he said. “I worked my eight, nine hours, and I’d go home and spend the time with the family. That’s just the way I did it.” Prioritizing his family allowed Escover to take a more active role in his children’s’ lives. He readily admits that it’s not an easy choice, but from personal experience he knows it’s well worth it. GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN JUNE/JULY 2018 “We did a lot of stuff, we did everything with our kids,” Escover said. Escover credits his father with instilling in him a strong work ethic. “He was really, really good at doing almost anything. He was fantastic really. And I learned from him,” he said. A strong work ethic in addition to kindness and respect towards oth- ers were always emphasized in the Escover household. “Particularly the men and boys, to respect women,” he said. Nurturing a loving relationship with your partner was also a key les- son taught to the Escover children. Now in their 55th year of marriage, the Escover’s continue proving the importance of that lesson. gmhtoday.com 89