Remembering Jack Lyle, a Tuskegee Airman
When I met Jack Lyle five years ago, he was still lifting weights and sailing regularly at age 93.
Jack was active, and fiercely independent. It seems that he had been that way his entire life, and remained that way to the end.
Jack had been a Tuskegee Airman, and we learned about his death in his obituary in early January. This Black History month, we remember him.
I had the pleasure of meeting Jack and his wife Eunice when I accompanied Mike, H.O.M.E.’s Operations Coordinator, to their home to interview them for our newsletter.
Jack and Eunice were clients of H.O.M.E.’s Upkeep & Repair and volunteer Painting programs that year.
Eunice is a warm person who is proud of her husband and his accomplishments. It was Eunice who told us we’d been a lending a hand to a hero. While Jack was humble about his service as an Airman, Eunice sings his praises.
As I re-read that article from our newsletter, I was struck by Jack’s vibrant life and his strength of character. He was a person who was determined.
So I wasn’t surprised when I read in his obituary that he had been determined to get to the lake shore one last time.
While every client that H.O.M.E. serves has unique perspectives and needs, Jack personifies, for me, the reason H.O.M.E. exists.
Jack lived in a home that he owned with his wife. They were both healthy and involved in their community at the time we met them.
But when their basement flooded, they needed a little help. They were living on a limited income and the necessary repairs would have been expensive.
But our affordable home repair service helped Jack and Eunice to keep their home safe and comfortable; and a safe, comfortable home helps older adults maintain their independence and stay connected to their community.
It was an honor to have met Jack, and an honor to know that H.O.M.E. was able to provide services to him.
We depend on donations from individuals to provide housing and housing support services to older adults living on low incomes in Chicago. Please consider making a donation today.
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