By ALEXANDRA NEWMAN

The 500 plus people who formally said farewell at his wake, those who wrote letters to the editor about Jack Connors, and all those who had personal stories to share with whomever would listen are all testimony to the saying that one person can make a difference in life.

John Charles (Jack) Connors died at age 70, Tuesday, June 5, 2001. It was unexpected. His death rocked not only his family, but the community.

Jack Connors owned the Buick/Pontiac dealership here. He is not remembered for selling cars, he is remembered for caring about others and how he showed them he cared.

Everyone called him either, friend, or Dad, or both.

“He was Dad to so many people,” said his widow, Phyllis, adding that in the Homily, even Fr. Heeg said Jack was like a father to him.

“He gave unconditional love,” chimed Colleen, one of Jack’s daughters.

“It was the only time he had been in a hospital,” said Brian Benke, who said Jack had gone to the hospital for surgery and had an aneurysm before the surgery began.

“When I lost my Dad, Jack became my adult Dad,” Brian said.

The family agreed to meet with this reporter a week after the funeral to share Jack’s story. They had just finished a fast-food, late lunch and were seated around a table just off the main showroom.

Jack bought this business from Dick Smith in 1975. He didn’t have an easy road to reach the success he enjoyed here, but he had faith.

The Bishop Noll and St. Joseph College at Rennselaer graduate placed God and family as his priority in life. Seven concelebrants (priests), all friends, helped with the Funeral Mass.

This Tuesday, Brian sat by his wife Cathy, Jack’s daughter, who runs the office at the family owned and operated car dealership at the corner of Porter Ave. and SR 49.

“We don’t have titles,” said Phyllis, Connors’ widow. “We just do whatever it takes.”

Phyllis also works in the office. Colleen, a teacher at Yost, helps in the summer. Jack Jr. is in charge of the Service Department, assisted by his brother, Mike. Christine was at home that day. Their ages range from 36- to 28-years old. Jack also left six grandsons.

The family talked about how Jack set the example of strength, compassion, and respect for the work ethic. Those traits are what binds this family.

Jack was a Gary native. He met Phyllis there, and three months later they were married in Holy Angeles Cathedral. They shared 38 years together.

Phyllis said Jack wanted to be a doctor, but his dream of that profession was doused when his mother took ill and the family had no insurance. His father was dead. There was no question as to what he would do. He took care of her.

“He was an innovator, an inventor, and was tenacious,” Phyllis said.

She related one of his inventions that he didn’t patent. It was a credit card system to track truckers.

“He always said he would like to invent an eyeball to be attached at the end of a finger,” said Colleen, who jokingly added all the advantages that could provide.

Jack was a car salesman and a pilot. He had the vision to build a truck stop at Ripley St., at the (then) end of I-94. He sold his plane to finance the venture.

“People thought he was crazy,” Phyllis said.

“When she said built, she means he built the truck stop,” Brian said. “She (Phyllis) can pour concrete, lay conduit, and do whatever it takes,” he continued.

“We built this place,” Kathy added. “We lived here (upstairs) while we built our house.”

“When adversity hits, the Connors work,” Phyllis said. “Sunday we all worked together in the yard.”

Kathy gave assurance that her father taught them to carry on, and they will with the business that has served so many in the community.

The stories told by his clients about his kindness to them have been so overwhelming that one could find it difficult to believe for those not having known Jack. But it is clear, through numbers of stories, and by meeting his family, that the stories can’t praise him enough.

“We want the community to know how much we appreciate their thoughts and kindness,” said Cathy, she said she needs to find out who the pilots were so the family can thank them for flying the missing man air salute while he was being laid to rest at St. Patrick Cemetery.

In one last thought, Phyllis related the private moment when she was asked by doctors, if Jacks eyes could be donated for the eye bank. The answer was affirmative.

“I said, if someone could see life the way he saw it, they would be more compassionate. And, if everyone could see through his eyes, the world would be a kinder place,” Phyllis said.