ON MEMORIAL DAY ANNE CALLED AND INFORMED ME THAT HER FATHER JACK HAD PASSED AWAY. SHE WASN’T SURE OF DETAILS YET BUT WAS PLANNING A MEMORIAL EVENT FOR FRIDAY 6-3-05 AND A GRAVE-SIDE SERVICE 6-4-05. I’LL POST THAT INFORMATION AS SOON AS IT IS CONFIRMED.

WORDS ARE HARD TO FIND WHEN SOMEONE CLOSE TO YOU HAS PASSED ON FROM THIS WORLD. IT HIT ME LIKE I’D LOST A FATHER.

ANNE SAID THAT ONE OF THE LAST THINGS JACK WHISPERED WAS THAT HE NEEDED TO CALL HIS GOOD FRIEND JQ AND TELL HIM SOMETHING. I’LL NEVER KNOW FOR SURE WHAT IT WAS BUT I’LL BET IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE EXCITING VISIT HE’D JUST HAD WHEN BILL HAYES BROUGHT MICHAEL (DOWN FROM CANADA) TO VISIT AND GIVE HIM A “CROCKER” T-SHIRT. AND PROBABLY FOR ME TO TUNE INTO THE HISTORY CHANNEL AS HE WAS BEING HONORED WITH PICTURES OF HIM AS A YOUNG MAN ON HIS 1939 CROCKER #103. I’LL BE WATCHING THAT DOCUMENTARY TONIGHT WITH MIXED EMOTIONS.

I’M HAPPY THAT EVEN IN HIS FINAL DAYS HE WAS HAPPY. HE LEARNED TO ENJOY LIFE RIGHT UP TO THE LAST MINUTE…NO MATTER HOW MUCH HIS BODY DETERIATED WITH THAT BONE CANCER AND LOSS OF EYESIGHT. WE SHOULD ALL LEARN FROM THAT.

IT WASN’T ALWAYS THAT WAY HOWEVER. ANNE TOLD ME SOMETHING A FEW YEARS AGO, AND REMINDED ME OF IT AGAIN THE OTHER DAY. SHE SAID SHE WAS SO THANKFULL THAT THE BOOZEFIGHTERS CAME BACK INTO JACK’S LIFE. THAT AFTER HER MOTHER’S DEATH AND HER FATHER’S FAILING HEALTH THAT JACK BECAME A DEPRESSED RECLUSE, HAVING NOTHING LEFT THAT MOTIVATED HIM. HOWEVER AFTER MEETING UP WITH HIS OLD CLUB’S MEMBERS (at Red Dog’s funeral in 2000) THAT HE FOUND A RE-NEWED LEASE ON LIFE.

“BROTHER JACK I AM SAD THAT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TALK ON THE PHONE ANYMORE. I AM SAD WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE ANY MORE REUNIONS WITH YOU AT YOUR RANCH. BUT AT THE SAME TIME I AM HAPPY WE GOT TO SHARE ALL OF THAT WITH YOU IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS. AND I AM HAPPY THAT IT MADE YOU HAPPY IN THE FINAL DAYS OF YOUR LIFE ! GOOD BY JACK…MY BROTHER AND GOOD FRIEND. I WILL HONOR YOUR MEMORY FOREVER.