Jack Edward Leaf passed away peacefully in his home in Victorville, California, on April 19, 2026, at the age of 92.

Born on September 19, 1933, in Dayton, Ohio, to Daniel and Mabel Leaf. Jack grew up as one of seven children. Throughout his 92 years, he witnessed remarkable changes in the world. He experienced both life’s joys and hardships and became the last surviving child of his family. Through it all, the values that guided him remained the same—work hard, love your family, and appreciate life’s simple moments.

For most of his life, Jack earned his living as a painting contractor. He owned his own painting business and made a good life for himself and his family. He believed in honest work, took pride in doing every job right, and built a reputation through decades of dedication and craftsmanship. But those who knew Jack best understood that what he was most proud of wasn’t the work he completed—it was his family.

Jack loved teaching his kids. Whether it was showing a child how to sand a board, carefully mask a wall, hold a paintbrush, or eventually learn to use a spray gun, he found joy in passing along the skills he had spent a lifetime perfecting. He was patient, encouraging, and believed the best lessons were taught by working side by side. Those moments became more than lessons about painting; they became lessons about taking pride in your work, being willing to learn, and doing things the right way and spending time with his children.

Away from work, Jack found peace where the water met the shore. He loved bass fishing, boating at Lake Perris, spending time in Redondo Beach, the harbor, and the pier. Those who spent time with him there knew those were some of his happiest places. A fishing pole in his hands, family nearby, and nowhere else to be—that was enough.

Music was another lifelong companion. Country music often filled the room, as did the unmistakable sounds of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass.

When his children were young, Sundays belonged to them. After his divorce from Arizona (Bobbie), Jack made sure those days were spent together, taking them fishing, to the beach, or simply enjoying whatever adventure the day held. Those outings became some of the memories his children treasured most—simple days that, over time, became priceless.

As the patriarch of our family, Jack found his greatest joy in watching each new generation arrive. His grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren brought him endless pride. Few people are blessed to watch their family tree grow into five living generations. Jack cherished every new branch as another blessing.

Jack had an easygoing spirit and a kind heart. He got along with people, avoided unnecessary conflict, and found happiness not in grand accomplishments but in everyday moments shared with family and friends. He showed his love not through elaborate words but through his presence—by teaching, by giving, by showing up, and by making time for those who mattered most.

Jack was preceded in death by his beloved son, Rick Leaf; his first wife Arizona Ortega (Bobbie), his long-time life partner Sally Slike; his parents Daniel and Mabel Leaf; and his four brothers and two sisters. As the last surviving child of Daniel and Mabel Leaf, he carried with him a lifetime of family history and memories.

His beloved son Terry unexpectedly joined him in heaven just 51 days later, and he is lovingly survived by his children, Connie Stefan, Randy Leaf, Michelle Leaf Culbertson, Jack Eugene Leaf, along with his bonus daughters, Mindy Leaf, Linda Rawls, and Kari Halma. His legacy continues through nine children, eleven grandchildren, fifteen great-grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren, and another on the way, along with many nieces, nephews, extended family members and his second wife Nancy Leaf.

Ninety-two years is a very long life, and Jack filled those years with things that mattered most. He built a career with his hands, but he built his family with his heart.

Today, that family stretches across five generations—from children to grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, and one more little life already on the way. Few people are blessed to witness a legacy grow the way Jack did.

The homes he painted in his career will eventually be painted again. Boats are sold. Houses change hands. Possessions are passed down. Even favorite songs become memories for a new generation.

But the values he quietly lived by—hard work, patience, generosity, and making time for family—continue in the people he leaves behind.

His true masterpiece was never found on the walls he painted. It is found in the family he built and the family that continues to grow because he was here.

Every fishing trip, every Christmas gift wrapped with love, every paintbrush picked up by a child or grandchild, every afternoon spent near the water, and every familiar note of a Herb Alpert song will carry a small reminder of Jack Edward Leaf.

That is a legacy that time cannot paint over. His obituary isn’t about being a painter at all. It’s about a man who started his life as one of seven children in Ohio and, by the time he left this world 92 years later, he had become the root of a family spanning five generations with another little branch already growing.

That’s extraordinary.

We aren’t just mourning Jack’s death but honoring the extraordinary life he lived and the generations that continue because of him.

A Memorial Service honoring Jack’s life will be held on Friday, July 17, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. at Green Hills Memorial Park, 27501 South Western Avenue, Rancho Palos Verdes, California 90275.

Family and friends are invited to continue celebrating Jack’s life at a reception beginning at 2:00 p.m. at Raffaello Ristorante, 457 W. 7th Street, San Pedro, California 90731.