“Jack once hit a hole in one.”  That was a quick memory of one of his accountant friends when he heard about the death of John Edward Rourke on April 24, 2017, known to his friends and business acquaintances as “Jack.”  He died at his home in Somerville where he had lived for 38 years.

Golf was not the only thing at which the Somerville native excelled.  Born in Somerville on May 7, 1952, he was the only child of the late Edward and Margaret Rourke, and the devoted father of his three children Craig and his wife Clio, Christine and her husband Jeffrey and Elizabeth Rourke.  In addition, he is survived by his two granddaughters, Abigail and Lillian, and a grandson due later this year.  His beloved life partner, Brenda Pignone, also survives him.

Raised in the strong Irish Catholic family and St. Catherine’s Of Genoa Parish, Jack attended the parish school, and then trekked to BC High on the bus and train everyday for high school, where he earned a merit based scholarship and played for the football team.  When he was not studying or playing football during his high school years, Jack developed an interest in accounting by taking inventory at local supermarkets, a skill that would prove to be the cornerstone to his success in business.

After high school, Jack went on to Boston College where he earned a degree in accounting.  During his college years, he carried a full course load and worked full time doing inventory, driving a cab, and laboring at Cambridge Gas & Electric.

Following college, Jack became a Certified Public Accountant on June 30, 1979.  After working a small firm for several years, a client enticed Jack to bring his business skills to bear on the world of sales in the electrical lighting industry, where he excelled for the remainder of his career.

In 1992, Jack founded Bay State Lighting Supply and served as its president until the time of his death.  Through his hard work and frugality, Jack was able to provide a comfortable life for his family, paying for all three of his children’s college educations.

In 2003, Jack co-founded New England Lighting and served as its president and chief executive until the time of his death.  During this time, Jack modernized and expanded the business bringing a new professionalism to the industry.  He expanded the business across New England and the Tri-State area, pioneering LED light fixtures and energy saving solutions long before “green energy” became household words.

From 1978-2014, Jack devoted his free time to serving on the Somerville Retirement Board, where he served as chairman for many years.  He cared deeply about municipal finance and the financial well being of Somerville’s retirees, earning returns for the city in excess of the state and national averages.

He enjoyed the fantastic adventures that he shared with his beloved Brenda. They played golf and saw the world together traveling from Hawaii to Ireland and everywhere in between.  Jack planned every detail of the vacations that they shared.  He loved to put miles on the rental car, and find great local spots to eat. But their favorite place to spend time together was on the golf course at Point Sebago Lake where they first met and fell in love.

Above all else, Jack Rourke loved his children.  He held nothing back from them, teaching them five solutions for every challenge presented by life.  He filled them with love and security, providing a safety net for them so that they could dream big and reach for the stars.  They all march to the beat of a different drummer.  But that was okay with him.  He loved them each for who they are.

Funeral Procession from the George L. Doherty Funeral Home, 855 Broadway (Powder House Sq) Somerville, on Saturday, April 29th at 9:00 AM followed by a Funeral Mass celebrated in St. Catherine of Genoa Church at 10:00 AM. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Calling Hours Friday 4:00pm to 8:00pm. Interment Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jack’s memory can be made to the Shriner’s Hospital for Children, 51 Blossom Street, Boston, MA 02114.