John ‘Jack’ Guffey, Jr. of Paso Robles passed away with his family at his side on November 21, 2024, in Templeton, CA. Jack was born to John Walton Guffey, Sr. and Naomi Dolson Guffey in Bakersfield, CA.
In 1954, Jack’s father acquired the Hilltop Ranch in the Adelaide area west of Paso Robles and relocated his family. From that time on, Jack had a lifelong love of farm life, serving as FFA President at PRHS, then enrolling at Cal Poly, SLO, with an Ag major. The home ranch was eventually sold and is presently the location of Adelaida Vineyards and Winery.
Jack was a member of the California National Guard. He worked for VanGas, servicing customers from Big Sur to the upper Salinas Valley. He was hired by Pacific Gas & Electric in 1971 during the construction phase of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. Taking a break in the 80s, he opened Lakeview Feed Company in Lakeview, OR. A few years later, he was hired back with PG&E and eventually transferred to General Construction, working in many field offices from Templeton to Solvang to Felton to Hollister. He retired while living in Atascadero, then kept busy either volunteering at the Pioneer Museum, pouring wine in tasting rooms, turning wood on his lathe, growing a small vineyard, making family wine, or entertaining grandchildren.
Jack is survived by his wife of 54 years, Virginia Skinner Guffey. Affectionately known by immediate family members as ‘Ace,’ he is also survived by four children, Catherine Jaeger, Carrol Roberts-Roesling (Scott), Megen Guffey, and John Guffey (Natasha Boffman), and eight grandchildren, Brian, Jesse, Cara, Mallory, Cooper, Jordan, Adison and Rileigh, as well as sister Karen Guffey Crouch (Michael), nieces Janna Baker and Victoria Baker, and nephew Kevin Crouch.
A card-carrying member of the infamous Musty Studs since high school, Jack always had a twinkle in his eye and a joke in his back pocket. He is sorely missed.
A Private Celebration of Life is planned for March.
