Jack Nevin, Veteran and Pumber, Dies at Age 58

John F. (Jack) Nevin, a master plumber and Vietnam veteran, died Thursday, April 27. He was 58 years old.

Jack was the son of John C. Nevin and the late Mary Jane Smith Nevin of Edgartown.

He was born August 2, 1947, at the Martha's Vineyard Hospital and spent all of his younger days in Edgartown residing at the Dr. Shiverick house. There were many good memories for him and his friends of sliding down the banisters and playing hide-and-go-seek because it was the biggest house around.

He was graduated from the Edgartown School and in 1966 from the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School. He started college in Florida, then quickly decided to enter the military in January 1967. He was in the combat infantry and faced many of the hardships that come with war and the devastations of lives lost. He did not share much about those days; he kept a lot of it to himself. Jack always told people that his dad was a prisoner of war in World War II and nothing could be worse than that. He respected his father, who told him, "Son, it happened, go on with life, you'll be alright."

Jack returned home from the war in 1968 and went to plumbing school to get a master's plumbers license. He worked for Boyd and Sons Plumbing for years, eventually branching off on his own. He did a great job for a fair price. He actually forgot to bill people sometimes. Jack had a chance to train Taza, his stepson, in the plumbing trade and gave him the skills which qualify him as a great plumber.

Nancy and Jack were married in September 1991. The ceremony was performed by a great family friend, Peter Sanborn, who gave Nancy a great deal of strength when her first husband had died. Nancy took care of the other part of Jack's life with plenty of love and a full family of children. Shortly thereafter, they decided that the children Nancy had in her previous marriage were not enough; they brought the family together with a son of their own named Willy.

Jack had not had any children up until his marriage to Nancy, and to say the least the family may have slightly overwhelmed him. Some nights he woke up startled because there were little toes rubbing his leg. When he looked over, to his surprise, he would find a small girl who would state matter-of-factly; "Hi, I couldn't sleep!" It was Morning Star.

A few years later Jack's cousin, Kate Nevin, died. He and Nancy took her daughter, Hannah, in to live with them. Hannah and Jack grew very close.

Grandpa John and his companion, Polly Ann Emin, were special to Jack also. He was always concerned about his dad, and Polly has proven to be a rock for John now.

And of course Willy, his very talented and outgoing son, sometimes boggled him. He couldn't believe his abilities in theatre, music, sports, academics and the arts. Willy far surpassed any dream Jack had for him. To top it off, his final tribute to his father was to play the echo of Taps on his trumpet at the graveside service Monday morning.

If someone asked what was Jack's story, it would be - in brief - that he knew how to live with a smile, a joke, an open house and a loving family.

One paragraph from a poem entitled, I'm Free:

I could not stay another day

To laugh, to love, to work or play.

Tasks left undone must stay that way

I found that place at the close of day.

- The Marianist Mission

Jack is survived by his wife, Nancy Tarter Nevin; his children, Misty Araujo and her husband, Michael, Nancie Nolin and her husband, Chris, Taza Tarter, Morning Star Tarter, Hannah Van Osten and Willy Nevin; and his grandchildren, Tyrone Araujo and Elias Nolin. He is also survived by his sisters, Ann Nevin, Nancy Nevin and Mary Jane (Cookie) Nevin, and many nieces and nephews. He was a great friend to many Islanders.

Visiting hours were held on Sunday at the Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home in Oak Bluffs. His funeral Mass was celebrated on Monday, May 1, at 10 a.m. in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Oak Bluffs.

Visit www.ccgfuneralhome.com for online guest book and more information.