The Blog of Death

I remember Jack from the late 60's and 70's up until just a few months ago. Back when Jack was destined to be a journalist (he thought) a friend, John McNew convinced him to try photography. The rest is history.

He was always gracious when I'd trude into his gallery and take up his time catching up on old times and friends. I was not aware of his infirmary and taken aback to learn of his death. As I am living in New Mexico, I can remember him just by looking at the photograph he took on Ossabaw Island hanging on my wall.

Jim K

Jack was my step-brother, although we were real brothers by the time he died. He was about the most decent human I ever met--his Dad, too--and I miss them both very much. They defined civility and were enormously fun folks.

While visiting my son at a nearby army post I visited Jack's black and white photography gallery. Awesome!! That was approximately 7 years ago at a time when I was just getting started into black and white taditional photography. I was encouraged not only by his photography but also the time he shared discussing equipment, methods and answering questions I had. After 20 years in the same corner location he was still excited about what he was doing. Any way there are many people who have influenced my photography and he is one of them. Thanks Jack, my work is now finding its way into collections. Al Willette

A DIFFERENT MIDNIGHT, BONAVENTURE

It was a dying world you lived in.
Land of shrimp nets and doors,
dark room photography--
you painted the old way after all.

I worked those waters too,
cold as a statue at midnight,
wet as a moon dumping
water on your shutter.

So you rest now,
overlooking the Wilmington River--
the moon river your neighbor
sang about. Here, there is a pier. . .

Well Jack, I can't tell you
how shocked I am your gallery's closing,
but more, what happened--
and four years back come May?

So I'll drive the six coastal hours
to Bonaventure,
snap a different midnight photo
with my Polaroid--

for yours is a marker all the same,
marking one who kept a chapter
of Oglethorpe safely in place
for many growing years.

I'll reread your letters,
my poems, your grave stone;
reflect on the image's reflection--
and find a way to say farewell friend.

Jack was my dad. Well, He is my dad. He was my best friend and possibly the most amazing person i've ever met in my entire life. We were close and it was very difficult to be away from him at all when I was younger and really all the way up to his death. It's still pretty hard for me to be away from him. I've got a picture on my wall of him when he was in his mid twenties, standing on a beach somewhere looking happy and content. It's perfect, it really is. Having him for only 12 years was infinitely better than having any other father for a whole lifetime. Everyone knows he was an amazing photographer, that is indisputable. Not too many people hear about how amazing of a father he was. There are no words to describe how much I loved him and how much he loved my sisters and I. He never missed a school event, a play, a bedtime song. We had this tradition that we called "Friday Night Pizza Night" he would pick my sisters and I up from school, take us to "Rainbow Row Ice Cream" and then to the grocery store to go shopping for Pizza supplies. He would make it from scratch and it was the best. Nothing compares. Other nights he would drive us through the bamboo covered alleyways and call it a car wash or put us all in the car to go for a drive. I think that is why I still find cars the most comforting places to be. We would wake up early in the morning and he would teach me how to photograph. He was everything a father needs to be. His birthday is coming up soon. He would be 60 this year. That was always the age talked about, 60 just seemed too old, I never could see him that old, but it's funny to think that I won't ever seem him at 60. I feel a little silly writing all of this in here but I feel it is necessary for the people who read this to know things about him other than his profession because he was so much more than just a talented photographer. He couldn't meet someone without inspiring them in some way. Everyone that knew him loved him. Everyone that knew him still loves him.

-Grace Leigh