In Memoriam: Jack H. Nissen (1943–2026)
Sacramento and the greater El Dorado County community are remembering Jack Howard Nissen — attorney, animal welfare advocate, craftsman, and artist — who died Jan. 6, 2026, at age 82. Friends across the legal, arts, and service communities describe him as a modern Renaissance man whose curiosity and drive carried him across multiple professions and passions. A memorial service is scheduled for Feb. 27 at Green Valley Mortuary.
Nissen was born Oct. 7, 1943, in Sacramento to Jack and Ann Nissen and graduated from Sacramento Senior High School in 1961. He went on to earn a psychology degree from San Francisco State University and later a law degree from the McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific, graduating in 1976. He began practicing law with Hefner, Stark & Marois before entering private practice in 1978, building a career that included deep involvement with professional standards and client advocacy.
His public service record was extensive. Nissen served for 10 years as chairman of a county bar fee arbitration committee and held leadership roles with the Sacramento SPCA, including service as a local chapter leader and vice president. Colleagues say his animal welfare work was not symbolic — it was hands-on and sustained over many years.
After retiring from full-time legal practice Nissen continued working in public-facing roles. He was part of the opening team of card dealers at Red Hawk Casino in December 2008 and later worked at Emigh Ace Hardware in El Dorado Hills, where customers recall his easy conversation and wide-ranging knowledge. In a 2022 social media post about a chance family connection discovered at the store, he laughed at the coincidence, writing, “Small world … feeling silly.”
Retirement also opened the door to creative pursuits. Nissen focused on photography and later woodworking, producing pieces displayed in several local galleries. He jokingly referred to himself during his heavy workshop years as a “regular” at the emergency room due to cuts and broken bones from tools and projects — a reflection of both his humor and his willingness to work with his hands.
In the months before his death, Nissen suffered a serious fall that resulted in nine broken ribs and a punctured lung. In a Dec. 15 social media post, he wrote bluntly about the injury and the pain that followed. He later relocated to Golden Sierra Senior Living, noting in a Jan. 2 post that he was “on our way to my soon to be new residence,” a transition friends said weighed heavily on him as he struggled with the loss of independence.
Friend Randy Honerlah wrote in a public remembrance, “He had many friends in the art community. He will be missed … RIP Jack.” Those who knew him say that from law to cards, from courtroom procedure to hand-cut joinery, Nissen brought intensity, humor and intellect to whatever field he stepped into.
Nissen was preceded in death by his parents and several cousins. He is survived by his sister, Patricia Miller; brother-in-law, Jerry Miller; nephew, Todd Miller; and former wife, Debra Nissen.
A memorial service will be held Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, at 1 p.m. at Green Valley Mortuary. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Sacramento SPCA and Fat Kitty City, continuing the animal welfare causes he supported for decades.
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