Jack Thompson made a striking picture with his white handle-bar mustache, that handsome smile and those twinkling blue eyes! But when he spoke his voice commanded your attention. It was amazing and of course his singing was too. He had the whole package going on.
But there was something else about Jack. He had a Joy inside that just drew you in. If you knew him, you understood he was Christian. He lived it in front of everybody and he never apologized for it. His faith is who he was, plain and simple.
I don't remember when and where I met Jack. I know when I was young, I didn't know him and then at some point I did. Just a few years ago, I went to a funeral held at my church and sometimes I go to see if I can help with anything. Priscilla waved me over to come and help sing, I wasn't going to, but then Jack said to come on, they didn't have enough people. So, I went and sat beside him. And I got to sing with him. Folks, it was a magic day for me. I am an OK singer, but singing with Jack, I felt I had made the big time! It was fun and that man could sing! I will always remember that moment.
It was at that service that I met Evelyn, Jack's wife. I figured out why he was happy all the time. She was delightful and I knew we would be friends. He started bringing her to the library with him. Now Jack had been coming for a bit, and we always loved to visit with him. He would tell what he was teaching in Sunday School, or what the Lord was talking to him about. One time I remember him telling how the Lord was dealing with him about preaching. Jack said he told The Lord, "I don't know how to preach" and told Him that several times. Finally, The Lord told Jack, "I don't want you to preach, I just wanted you to be willing." Great story and a life lesson for all of us.
Whenever Evelyn and Jack would stop and visit us, they would talk about their kids and grandkids. They would share the stories and laugh and look at one another. They were wonderful together. Jack would call us "kids" and Ms. Evelyn would call us, "darlins." We learned they loved Texas, and we loved them. If they found any used books they wanted, (they liked westerns and mysteries) Jack would always overpay, and I would say, "Jack, that's too much." He would smile, his eyes would twinkle and Ms. Evelyn would smile. But he insisted. Good times.
We had been missing Jack for a couple two or three years now, always hoping he would get better and stronger, then come back and see us. But he didn't. Ms. Evelyn kept us informed and would ask us to pray. And we did, believing any day he would come back through the doors and wave at us. But he didn't.
Ms. Evelyn called to let us know Jack had gone on to his new heavenly home (I have tears in my eyes as I write this) and we were stunned and saddened. Oh, how we miss him already!
But.....what a life well lived! What a legacy Jack left behind. What an example to all of us who loved him. Can anyone do better than this? Isn't it the most important thing of all in this world? To live well, to love well and be who you are as Jesus shines through to show The Way to others.
Well done, Mr. Jack Thompson, well done.
-- Dianna Payne is director of Lincoln Public Library.