Jack (James Francis) Lubzinski
August 20, 1923 – April 11, 2021
Jack (James Francis) Lubzinski was a physicist, inventor, mathematician, entrepreneur, machinist, artist, politician, and philanthropist who passed away at 97 on April 11, 2021.
Jack Lubzinski was a genius. At 16 in Richmond, B.C., Jack Lubzinski won a scholarship at the 1940 Vancouver PNE for his 100,000-piece, exact wooden model of the Pattullo Bridge, which is still on display at a B.C. museum. Jack was a consummate student and physicist, earning a bachelor’s degree from UBC in 1947, a master’s degree in 1950, and then completing more than 360 university level courses over the rest of his life.
He inspired many others in B.C. and locally in physics, mathematics, inventions, and creativity. The many stories in Jack’s life are fascinating and would make a terrific book; his PNE-winning Pattullo Bridge model, his innovative company’s ships wheels, numerous inventions, his Lubzinski Spectrograph, the local Lubzinski Center for Innovation, the groundbreaking Lubzinski Equation, and more.
In 1951, he and his brother, the late Joe Lubzinski, created and ran the Lubzinski Marine Products Company in Richmond B.C., making mahogany ships steering wheels which were exported worldwide for more than five decades. Their ships wheels were used locally in B.C., by the U.S. Navy, B.C. Ferries, luxury liners, and on Mississippi paddle wheels.
Over their wheel manufacturing years, Jack invented a series of machines and tools that perfected the balance and control, and significantly reduced the time to build a ship’s wheel. On closing their company in 2005, they donated their machines, wheels, and parts to the Steveston Marine Museum, which developed a working exhibit of the ships wheel manufacturing process. In 1965 and 1968, Jack was also a Social Credit Party candidate.
In Jack’s retirement years he spent time in both his B.C. and Point Roberts homes, mentoring others in physics, mathematics, and inventions; in working on his groundbreaking Lubzinski Equation; and in developing the Lubzinski Center for Innovation (LCFI).
The LCFI, a non-profit 501C3 Corporation was founded in Point Roberts with assistance from Steve Wolff (who passed away earlier this year) and Judson Meraw of Point Roberts. Jack had ongoing involvement in the Point Roberts community – he became a ham radio operator, took part in radio check-ins with PREP and PRACS, facilitated the CERT trailer, community communication antenna project, new library fundraiser book display, the new community event sign project, no towers campaign signage, and much more at the LCFI shop.
The LCFI which he established with Steve Wolff and Judson Meraw, promotes economic vitality, both locally and nationally through excellence in mathematics, manufacturing, sustainability and innovation.
His birthday party on August 21, 2021 at the LCFI will commemorate Jack’s desire to spread the joy of mathematics, creativity and innovation, to celebrate and commemorate his life, and accomplishments, and the LCFI volunteers, who plan to carry on in his desire to inspire and encourage others.
Donations may be made to continue his vision in the sciences of mathematics, social improvement, design, invention, manufacturing in Point Roberts, Washington, to Lubzinski Center for Innovation, Umpqua Bank, 476 Tyee Drive, Point Roberts WA 98281.
