Al Jacques

September 30, 1937 - August 16, 2023

Al Jacques of Larkspur, CO passed away peacefully in his home, surrounded by his family, on August 16, 2023 at the age of 85.

He was one of the most dedicated, hard-working, honest, caring, kind, and family-oriented men on earth. He loved his family very much and was committed to building a legacy around the home and other structures that he constructed on his Raspberry Butte property, which includes the Monkey Face landmark, in Larkspur, CO.

He was a man of strong faith in God, and his Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

Born on September 30, 1937 in Saginaw, MI as one of five children, he graduated from high school in 1955, and married his sweetheart Janice Ann Dahmer on July 20, 1957. They celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary this past July 2023. He moved his family from Michigan to Colorado in 1970 to further his career as a pilot, and provide the opportunity for his family to pursue multiple outdoor activities including hunting, fishing, and skiing. He had many passions and hobbies that he developed and pursued in his life, including falconry, raising bison, horses, restoring carriages, homing pigeons, hunting, fishing, skiing, pickle ball and tennis.

His initial career was as a talented mason and brick layer, following in his Dad’s and older brother’s footsteps, where he also learned all of the general skills necessary for home construction. He built several other houses for the family along the way including one on Coon Lake near Howell, MI and another in Perry Park near Larkspur, CO.

A back injury cut his masonry career short, and he then started in aviation, first as a lead pilot on a twin engine Piper for a highway contractor in Escanaba, MI; and then into commercial aviation for North Central Airlines in Detroit, MI in 1962. His first plane was a twin prop DC-3, followed by a twin jet DC-9, and he finished his career as a captain on a Boeing 757 with Northwest Airlines at the age of 55. His love for flight was ultimately one of the driving factors in his pursuit of falconry, which became his primary passion for the last 25 years of his life.

By good fortune in 1997, Al met Hal Webster at a falconry meeting, bought his book, obtained a copy of the Colorado regulations on falconry, and learned that he needed a sponsor. Hal graciously volunteered to be his mentor and sponsor, and Al credited him for the knowledge and inspiration that got him started and enabled him to eventually become a master falconer.

Al’s first raptor was a redtail hawk, which Al named “Murphy” as a play on Hal Webster’s reference to Murphy’s Law in his falconry book.

Al’s last bird of prey was a Gyr/Saker falcon, which Al named “Scout”. At Al’s final request, this bird was donated to Sam Dollar, who run’s the falconry program at the nearby Air Force Academy.


He is survived by the following immediate family members:

Wife: Janice Jacques

Sons: Douglas Jacques and Mark Jacques

Grandchildren: Kellie King, Aaron Jacques, Hunter Jacques, and Tanner Jacques

Great Granddaughter: Millicent King