Tribute to "Gentleman Jack"
Current mood: thoughtful
Category: Friends

Tribute to Congressman "Gentleman Jack" Metcalf     Sad day – Neat celebration

When I arrived home from Amsterdam I had received a postcard from Pastor Matt that a long time friend had died: US Congressman Jack Metcalf. 

Jack Metcalf was 79.  So today was his memorial celebration service and I had to go and show up because I have known Jack Metcalf for @ 27 years, and he had always shown up for me, and been a role model for me.   I had known Jack Metcalf since he was a US Senator back in the early 1980's… and he has always been so accessible, real, and unpretenticous and supportive of my community projects to the extent of hand delivering to me at a meeting on election night, a hand written letter of support for a community trail system I was organizing  (He donated 600 acres too), …his total support at the formation of the parks and recreation district: supporting legislation for adult family homes after a symposium I organized, and Jack cooked roast beef sandwiches to raise funds and attended several of my fundraisers for the therapeutic horse riding program for people with disabilities I founded, blah, blah, blah.  

Jack was a grass roots politician.  And, I have sat behind Jack and his wife Norma, in the back of church for @ 15 years whenever I have gone to church, prayed with, laid hands on and felt a pouring of the Holy Spirit on Jack, etc.

Wow, it was amazing to see so many politicians show up for the ceremony today… Congressmen, Senators, Chiefs of Staffs, State dignitaries, County Commissioners, community leaders, movers and shakers, etc.  There even was a personal message from President Bush read for Jack today.    It was a trip to see so many people that I have met and networked with in the past when I was active in the community, whom I had not seen in at least over 10 years.

Jack was known as a maverick for his progressive views.  He was not afraid to express his well- researched opinions, (even when he knew it would not be popular or was provocative and controversial), and he was not afraid to take action for what he believed in. Wow, I like that.   And he was a tireless worker for the local community, state, and country.  Wow, I like that a lot.  And he'd been a teacher for 30 years.   That's like public service all the way.  He campaigned for Senate once by stopping by and talking to people at 9,000 houses in 3 months. 

Jack Metcalf looked like a maverick too.  And when Congressman Metcalf rode his tall beloved horse Bart in parades, Jack looked like he came right out of the old TV western Maverick, or Dennis Weaver westerns.  Jack always wore his cowboy boots, even in Washington, DC. where he was known as "Gentleman Jack."   And in parade dress, Jack wore full western get up including bolo tie, cowboy hat, western shirt, vest, etc.  

During the part of the service for people to share some of their favorite moments with Jack…I related the story about one of my favorite moments was when Jack was Senator and decided to run for Congress, he asked me to design the red, white, and blue leather banner that went behind his saddle and draped down each side over Bart's hindquarters.

The most convenient time we could figure for Jack to bring his saddle over, was to swing by on the way home after a parade.  When he realized his truck and horse trailer would not make it up and down the steep gravel road to my place, Senator Metcalf decided to park his rig, and ride Bart out to my place in full parade dress and get up.   

Well, Senator Metcalf stopped at each of my neighbors on the way, out in their yards and decks, looking for my place and my shop.   And when he left, I followed him out to the road and watched him gallop off with a cloud of dust trailing off behind him.  Some of my neighbors called me to ask "Who was that man?"   I laughed and told them that he was gonna be our next Congressman.  

So I remarked that Jesus rides horses, and that Jack was probably back on his beloved horse Bart again, riding horses with Jesus in heaven.

Jack and his family were and still are Horse People, and have spent a lot of time riding together as a family.   Horse People relate on a different level than other people. Ranchers somewhat understand, but you can't have the same relationship with riding a cow as you do with riding, having the inter-trust and relating between a rider and a horse.   Horse People are people who own, ride, and live with horses... like those who do horse chores at least twice a day, will stay up walking a sick horse all night, can tell when the horse is laughing, etc.

To those who know their Bibles…Jesus is Horse People.  And the Holy Spirit and God have used horses, since biblical days through today.  So numerous members of Congressman Metcalf's family approached me at the reception afterwards to tell me how much they liked my anecdote and to share their own stories about Bart.

Wow. It was amazing to see so many big-wig politicians crying and relating how Jack Metcalf  had impacted their lives.  Although I didn't always agree

with Jack's politics, I admire the community service, standing up for beliefs, and leadership.  I pray that a hundred more men rise up in his place to become great community leaders like Jack was.