IN MEMORY OF JACK SEMONES

jack semones outside of the Y

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of our dear friend, Mr. Jack Semones. Jack served as the first executive director of the Town North Family YMCA (now Semones Family YMCA) and was a lifelong YMCA servant leader.

Jack’s commitment to volunteerism was in his DNA. Growing up in Portsmouth, Ohio, Jack was the 11th out of 12 kids in his family. As a kid. he did not have extra money to join the Y in his town, but at ten years old he rolled up his sleeves and earned his Y scholarship by sweeping the floors and emptying the trash at the Y. This was just the beginning of Jack’s hard work and dedication to the YMCA.

At 17, Jack joined the Navy serving two years in the South Pacific. After the Navy, he graduated from George Williams College. After graduating in 1952, he headed to Dallas to work.  For the next 17 years, Jack would work for the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas. He started at the Park Cities YMCA and later founded the Town North Family YMCA.

For over 70 years, Jack served as a tireless and dedicated volunteer at the YMCA. He has worked on over 50 Annual Campaigns to support scholarships and financial assistance for families. He even served on several Capital Campaigns to revitalize YMCA facilities for communities and was instrumental in the creation of Johnson Outpost, and Camp T’Sungani (now Camp on The Lake). Jack was a master relationship builder and truly believed in the impact the giving could make in North Texas.

Jack was the 2011 recipient of the Charles P. Storey – Strong Communities Award for his outstanding commitment to the YMCA mission and for being instrumental in the creation and perpetuation of a local YMCA. He was also honored in 2019 and the Town North YMCA was renamed the Semones Family YMCA. (Watch Video)

Jack was truly a volunteer who exemplifies the mission, purpose, and ideals of the YMCA. He was a mentor to many and a friend to all. The Dallas Y is proud to have witnessed the unwavering dedication of an extraordinary person like Jack Semones.

Read more about Jack’s life and accomplishments:

Jack Semones in the Hi-Y club
Jack Semones At the Y Annual Campaign
Jack Semones in the Office
Jack Semones Aquatic Center
Curt Hazelbaker, Kennye Semones, Jack Semones, Jill Magnuson