Who Am I?

I am Jack Duggan.  I’m 65 years old and I live in Oakland, California.  In November I retired as a California State Park Ranger. 

I was a Park Ranger for four years at Angel Island State Park, a one square mile island in the middle of the San Francisco Bay, and two years at Mount Diablo State Park, east of San Francisco near the Central Valley.  I had a religious conversion of the civil variety.  I went from the Devil’s Mountain to the Angel’s Island.  Park Rangers in California are real cops, guns, badges and all.  Prior to that, I was a banker for nearly 30 years, mostly in Los Angeles.  In between banking and rangering I was a Juvenile Hall Counselor, euphemism for guard, in San Francisco Juvenile Hall for three years. 

My self image is of being a schlepper, a kid from Burbank who is always trying to catch up but has never been ahead of the pack.  As a leader I’m a great second man.  I like someone else in front.  I’ve been very fortunate to have had some opportunities for some very exciting experiences.  I like a challenge and I probably make decisions impetuously.  I think a decision is an obstruction that needs to be passed, it’s what you do afterwards that proves your mettle.  Yes, I’m still proving my mettle, maybe less now than before.    

I live in apartment on Lake Merritt with my partner Suzette and our incredible daughter, two year old Paloma Duggan.  “I am not Boo Boo,” she informed us yesterday.  “I am Paloma Duggan.” 

I have three grown sons and six grandchildren.  Son number one is a set designer and jack of all trades for commercials and TV in Los Angeles.  Number two son is a newly minted professor at the University of Oregon teaching political science.  Number three son is a fashion photographer and sometime artiste recently moved to Manhattan.  He makes a good living at it.  My eldest grandson is in high school and says he is the only honor student on his Junior Varsity football team.  My youngest grandchild is three years older than Paloma. 

I am an English major. We know who we are.  After two years of mediocre study at Loyola University before it became Loyola Marymount, I was nearly drafted and joined the Air Force.  I had the incredible good fortune of being stationed in England for over three and a half years.  I became a staff sergeant. Afterwards I got to attend UCLA and graduate.

After UCLA I found a job in banking and I found out I liked it.

I stopped drinking at the end of 1983.  I did that the usual way, joining a group of likeminded people who supported each other in learning to live a sober life.  I don’t struggle with alcohol any more, but I don’t take it for granted either.  I don’t drink, it’s one of the principles I live by.  Before 1983 life happened to me and I acted very badly in a number of circumstances.  After 1983 life continued to happen but I was present at all times and whatever I did; I made the best decisions I could at the time and when I’m wrong I try to promptly admit it. 

I joined a mountaineering group and climbed the north face of Mt. San Jacinto, Mount San Gregornio in midwinter and Mount Rainier from the North side.  I became a leader in community development in South Central Los Angeles in the early 90s and participated actively in the effort to rebuild LA after the Civil Insurrection.  I’ve been a volunteer and mentor to a number of young men growing up.  I have a couple of sober alcoholics who claim I’m their sponsor but don’t call me much. 

In 1995 I moved up to the Bay Area.  It was a real dislocation to leave Los Angeles, a city I knew as home for nearly fifty years, but the Bay Area is an incredible place to live.  For many years I felt like a visitor but when I started working for the City of San Francisco I realized I’m here.  This is home.   

In 1999 I quit banking and tried writing for a year.  When I went back to work I became a counselor at San Francisco Juvenile Hall and then a union steward and then a Ranger with California State Parks.  I’ve been married twice and divorced twice.  I have a two year old daughter who is incredible.  I had a heart attack a year and a half ago and I have six stents in my coronary arteries.     

I’m retired.