A great man who’s had quite a wife

Jack Hammett was at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, while serving in

the Navy. He spent 22 years in the military before running the

Bristol Park Medical Group starting in 1960.

He became a civic leader, serving in various organizations from

the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce, the California Aeronautics Board

to being the mayor of the city, which he calls home.

Hammett, 84, recently spoke with the Pilot’s Luis Pena to chat

about his life and public service.

Where did you grow up? What kind of childhood did you have?

I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. We moved a lot during

the Depression years. We were very poor and we had different

residences. I would live with my grandparents for a while in the west

side. It was a kind of difficult situation.

What kind of childhood did you have?

I had a good childhood. They were very loving. I was an only

child. When you’re an only child, everybody takes care of you.

How did you end up in Newport-Mesa?

[From] after retiring from the Navy in San Pedro, in 1959. Because

of my experience in the Navy as a hospital core officer, some doctors

hired me as their administrator to build a medical clinic in Costa

Mesa, which I did. I moved here in 1960 and opened the clinic in

1961.

What are your greatest accomplishments in life?

Raising a family of four children. They all turned out good. I was

very pleased when I was on the council and mayor of the city. I

enjoyed helping build this city.

I was fortunate enough to be part of building the city after seven

years on the planning commission and eight years on the council.

Fifteen years in civic politics while I’m running a medical center

and building it. It was a very fulfilling life for me.

If you could re-do one moment or incident in your life, what would

it be?

I don’t think I’d redo anything. I think I’m perfectly satisfied

with what I’ve done and the way life’s turned out for me. I was at

Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7. My Mary Jo was with me at Pearl Harbor and

we’re still here together 64 years later. I really can’t think of a

thing I’d want to do different.

What profession other than yours would you like to have tried?

I’ve tried several. I was the administrator of a medical center. I

also organized the Costa Mesa police reserve program. Served as a

reserve officer for 22 years. I’m a qualified commercial helicopter

and fixed wing pilot instructor. And I have my Coast Guard master’s

[certificate] for sailing vessels and ships.

What are some differences between a typical day in your life now

versus a day in your life 40 years ago?

I think I’m busier now. I write. I’m writing an autobiography.

Very active with the Freedom Committee and getting information to the

schools. Lecturing, traveling around locally and then I play a lot of

golf in the desert. I have a desert home, too. In the ‘60s I was

running Bristol Park Medical Group. I was president of the Chamber of

Commerce, I was a member of the police reserve, I was a member of the

Planning Commission. I had a position and appointment in Sacramento

with the medical board examiners and I was raising four kids. My days

were usually 18 hours.

What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned in your life?

That no one’s perfect. Everybody makes mistakes. If at first you

don’t succeed, try again. Also, I think having goals and objectives

are very important. Goals with some benchmarks along the way so you

can achieve a little bit along the line and see you pass this

benchmark and can proceed on.

What do you treasure most?

My wife, because I love her. I met her when she was 15 and I was

18. Got married when she was 16 and I was 19 and we’ve been together

ever since, with the exception of a couple of wars in between.

Everything about her. She was a great mother. She was great with the

kids. She supported me when times were tough. When I was most busy in

the political arena and everything, she had a nice little knack of

when you’re starting to think you’re pretty good, she’d say, “Jack,

take out the garbage.” Takes you back to reality. She was a staunch

supporter of me. She’s the main part of my life. When you stop to

think about it 19 and 16, when you’re 84, that’s a lot of years

together.

What would you like people to always remember about you?

That I was fair honest and firm. I’d like people to remember me as

being firm in my convictions, but fair and always ready to help

somebody. God let me be helpful to people in some way, directly or

indirectly.