Jack Wake

Jack Douglas Wake, 78, passed away on December 1, 2022, from COVID complications. He had an accident or two in 2021, from which he never fully recovered. He was born on June 17, 1944, to James H “Dutchie” Wake Jr and Mary Ruth Lawson Wake. He was the youngest of three children and lived in Waco and Robinson his entire life.

The most important thing Jack wanted to be remembered for was being a “GOOD MAN.” He loved his wife, family, and all his friends. A favorite scripture of his was Timothy 5:1-8 which addresses taking care of family and widows.

Jack graduated in 1962 from Richfield High along with the Waco High group. He was so proud to have served on the committee for his 60th high school reunion with his friends Marvel White, Dennis Davis, Ken Young and many others he loved as brothers and friends. He loved having lunch every Friday with Dennis Davis and Rick Denny and was looking forward to David Abbott joining them. He attended Baylor University one year after graduating and was an avid fan of the men and women athletes. He and one of his dear friends Jerry Wilson called each other back and forth during games to discuss every play. Jack would put on one of his Baylor shirts if he felt they needed help to win.

There are so many stories of Jack’s happy, wonderful life, it is hard to mention just a few. Jack started working at the age of 9 delivering flyers and newspapers. He worked for Dr. Pepper for 15 years, General Tire for 8 years and several years as the plant manager for Best Rite Chalk Board in Temple. He also worked at Enhanced Glass. He retired in December 2008, as foreman of the cabinet shop after 15 years and became known as a handyman taking care of his mother’s elderly friends, along with elderly widows and after they passed away, their children. We had a poem— “Jack Me-rack, just short of Spec-tack” because there was nothing he could not fix or repair. Among other things, he even remodeled the interior of a house boat!

Once retired, he loved riding motorcycles with his buddies from Barger’s All Sports. Just a few of his “motorcycle gang” as we called them were Jim Dupree and Lois, Bob Barger and Chet, Marty, Mike, Scotty and Alisha Linderman, Pam and Keith Beverly, and Big Tom McFarland. They were all going to get a tattoo of the Bud Man that said “Bud Tour of ‘96”. As it turned out, at 53, he was the only one that got the tattoo! They attended numerous motorcycle rallies as well as a trip to Mexico, a trip to Washington on the Brazos, and others too numerous to mention. He wanted to ride his motorcycle one last time before he passed away and even though that didn’t happen, his grandson, Hunter, is going to take some of his sweet ashes on a final ride to scatter a few of his ashes in one of his favorite places. Another dream of his was to play golf one more time. He, along with Steve Owen, Bob Graham, brother-in-law Ross McKenzie and Jim Dupree enjoyed playing once or twice a week until he became too weak to play in 2021. A favorite memory was a trip to the Masters with his brother-in-law Ross. Anyone that knew Jack knew how frugal he was. While making the trip to Georgia, he would only let Ross stop at Murphy Gas at Walmart stores because it was cheaper.

Every morning while Jack was reading the paper from page to page, he worked his Sudoku puzzles. He worked them in pen and only did the hard puzzles. He had so many sudoku books and worked them on trips, during doctor visits, and anytime he had a free minute.

Finally, Jack and Patsy along with their dear friends Jerry and Brenda Wilson traveled a lot. They went on several cruises, went antiquing, camping, and went to Lake Waco and Lake Travis. They went to Gatesville to play cards and spent the night with their close friends Bobbye and Steve Owen. Jack had so many friends, but Jerry and Jack had been friends since their high school days. Don’t be offended if I’ve forgotten anyone, there were too many to name them all!

Jack was predeceased by his parents, his sister, Peggy Thyfault, and granddaughter Conleigh Lucius. He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Patsy Wallace Thrash Wake, his brother J. Byron and wife Sandy Wake of Houston and his five children, Kimberly Ann Wake DeLucia and her wife, Patricia DeLucia, Misti Wake Lucius and husband Jim, Christopher Dale Thrash and fiancée Debby Leonard, Missy Thrash Alexander and husband John, Michael Judd Thrash and wife Lauren. He has seven grandchildren, Hunter McFarland and wife Brittany, Cody Alexander and McKenna Alexander, Jacklyn, Evan, and Jamie Delucia, Caroline Thrash and due in two weeks, Colt Michael Thrash, and one great grandson Ryder McFarland. He loved all of his family, cousins, his wife’s’ cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles, and every one of his friends.