A year ago today I was sitting at my computer when I got a call from my best fiend and life long buddy. I could tell something wasn't right when he started speaking. He said; "I have some disturbing news... Tim Tackett died". My heart and jaw dropped at the same rate and pace, and in my disbelief I shared the horrible news with my wife... I was crushed. Today marks the 1st anniversary of Tim's passing and again I feel a weight on my heart that is sobering and puts many things into perspective. Tim was a good man, a very good man. Below are the words I wrote that painful night after getting the news. The piece was read by many people and the heartfelt words touched many people, but with all of that I wrote the piece for three people; Kym, Gladys and Cameron. I wanted them to have something in writing that they could refer to time and time again to read and to reinforce in their minds, and hearts, how truly wonderful their husband, son and father was. We were all blessed to have spent time with Tim. He was a wonderful man. -sbb
Tim loved the Yankees!
Tim Tackett
Brief:
lasting or taking a short time
; of short duration: a brief walk; a brief stay in the country.
"I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful."
-2 Timothy 4:7
Tim, Cam & Kym
1963 started like most years; with hope and promise. Martin Luther King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech, the Beatles released their first big hit single in the US entitled "Please Please Me", our nation was experiencing Camelot while John Fitzgerald Kennedy was our country's 35th President of the United States and the postage stamp was a mere 5 cents.
It was also a time of great tragedy as our country mourned the
assassination of JFK and we watched as a nation as our military delved
deeper into the Vietnam War.
Other highlights of 1963 was the Supreme Court decision in the case of Gideon vs. Wainwright that ordered state courts, under the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution, to provide counsel in criminal cases for defendants who were unable to afford their own attorneys. American households had the TV turned to Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom
with Marlin Perkins on NBC, the Dick Van Dyke Show was on CBS and
housewives all around the country were glued to their black &
white TV sets watching the soap opera series debut of General Hospital on
ABC. In 1963 major league baseball voted to expand the strike zone,
Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle both signed contracts worth a $100,000
each (a record at the time), one Michael Jeffery Jordon was born and Loyola beat Cincinnati 60-58 in OT to win the NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship. The Academy Awards choose Lawrence of Arabia best picture and Gregory Peck best actor for his portrayal of Atticus Finch in the movie To Kill a Mockingbird.
But
it was on October 27, 1963 the best role was played by Roy and Gladys
Tackett as they became the proud parents of Richard Timothy Tackett.
3rd row from the top and 5 over from the left...
Tim completed the Tackett family as he became the fifth child and the little brother to Rod, Cheryl, Teresa and Roger.
Jerry "Tiger " Rice & Timmy (1979)
One of five children and the recipient of
loving parents, Tim learned at a very young age the importance of a
family, the value of great parents and the value of being a great spouse and
parent. In the book "Anna Karenina" Leo Tolstoy wrote that "all happy
families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way". Tim and his siblings experienced the joy of a happy family.
Their
parents provided safety, comfort, and happiness that is readily
recognized by all and is evident by the way Tim shared those qualities
with his wife and son.
A Family: Mom, son & Dad
As
I write this piece I find it hard to speak in terms of death concerning
Tim. Tim was my back-court teammate on our high school basketball team,
he was a fellow employee at the Hilliard Pool when we were teenagers
and he was a good friend.
A very good friend.
Life and death has proven over time to be great educators and this extremely sad situation is no different.
Death has a way of making all of us, if just for a moment, come to grips with our own mortality. My mother often says that "life is precious, life is tender, life is fragile and tomorrow is never promised." I
couldn't agree more. Life is fragile and tomorrow is never promised; in
a word life is short. As sobering as these words are, James 4:14 shares
with us that we as humans are no more than "a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes". Psalms 39:4-5 states:
"Lord, remind me how brief
my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that
my life is fleeing away. My life is no longer than the width of my
hand. An entire lifetime is just a moment to you; human existence is but
a breath."
We would all do well to be mindful of those words.
Life is fragile; life is short and tomorrow is never promised.
Tim, Jeff Fugitt & Tony Moore
Sadly
enough it is through Tim's death I'm reminded of the extraordinary man
he was. It would be easy to pour over the many athletic accolades that
Tim earned while growing up. He was an outstanding baseball player that
earned team MVP, 1st team All-State recognition and a scholarship to
attend Ohio State University to play baseball. I believe Tim to be one
of the top three baseball players Hilliard has ever seen. Tim was also a
celebrated basketball player while at Hilliard where he was awarded
all-conference and all-districts honors, as well as, team MVP selected
by his teammates and coaching staff. But with all of that it was Tim the
man that was tremendous. Tim was silent, but strong, firm yet fair, and most of all he was kind without being weak.
Tim Tackett: All State baseball player.
Tim was a special person and in my heart he still is.
And in my heart he always will be special.
Many
times in death people are propelled to a stratosphere they didn't
entertain while living. Unfortunately, but with good intention, people
often falsely opine about the greatness of an individual when they were
alive. Often times a blind eye is turned to negative or less than
flattering behavior committed during a person's life. This is not the
case with Tim. I can honestly say that I never heard one comment about
Tim that was harmful, hurtful or one that questioned his character. The
only negative comment I remember being uttered about Tim was that he was
too "unselfish" as a basketball player and that he should have shot the ball more than he did, but that was Tim.
Tim was unselfish to the core.
Cameron & Tim
In closing, as I reflect upon the loss of Tim my thoughts are focused upon three people: Tim's mother, Cameron & Kym.
Gladys
Words
cannot explain the deep sadness I feel for you and your family. The man
you raised in Tim touched many lives. My life was one of them. Tim was a
tremendous husband, father and friend. He treated people the way they
should be treated. Tim always treated me, my sister and my parents with
respect and honor. I especially appreciated the way he continued to
treat my parents throughout his entire life. My parents were big fans of
Tim growing up; they thought the world of him. There are few people
that I have met like Tim and I feel that I won't be meeting others like
him in the near future. Psalm 34:17 says "The Lord hears his
people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their
troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who
are crushed in spirit." May God be with you. May He sooth your pain and bless you with the peace that passes all understanding.
Cameron
Your father was a good man. I will say it again; your father was a good man.
I think it is important to point out Cameron that we live in a society
that many times applaud the ordinary and forgets about what is truly
extraordinary. Your dad spent every day striving to make you and your
mother's life better... someday it will be your turn to do the same for
your family. Your dad worked every day to provide for his family and he
did it without hesitation or without complaining. That is what a real
man does. Your father was a real man. The only thing I would ask you to
do is get out a dictionary and look up the word extraordinary. Once you find the definition write it down on a piece of paper using your best handwriting.
Once you have written it down find your favorite picture of your dad
and tape both, the definition of extraordinary and the picture of your
dad, to the back of your bedroom door. This way each day when you wake
and when you go to bed you will be reminded what extraordinary looks
like. Your dad was one extraordinary man.
Kym
You
are one of my favorite people. The time we spent together last year at
Cameron's baseball game left me admiring what you and Tim had built.
Both of you cultivated an environment where love could grow and fostered
an atmosphere of kindness and humility. Someday your future
daughter-in-law will thank you for providing such a wonderful home for
Cam to grow up in and setting an example of how good family life can
truly be. I often told Tim that he "out kicked his coverage" when he got you to say I do.
You are a special person and Cameron is fortunate to have you as his
mother. The only scripture I want to leave you with is from the book of
Psalms. Life has served you with a horrible blow, but there is One who understands your pain. Put your trust in Him. Psalm 62:5-7 states:
"I
wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him. He alone is my rock and
my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My salvation and
my honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can
reach me."
Kym,
many people love you and want to support you anyway they can, but our
love and support can never match the protective, supportive and loving
hand of God. Your life will never be the same but that doesn't mean that
it will automatically be worse... just different. God has a specific
plan for you and your life... "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and hope".
Father & Son
Finally, the love and admiration I have for Tac
cannot adequately be explained or described at this moment. No words
make sense to me nor am I able to truly communicate my feelings for Tim.
As I sit here with tears streaming down my face I can only say thank you.
Tim, I could never thank you enough for being such a good person and at the same time being such a good friend.
I enjoyed the time we spent together and I thank you for the many memories you left me with.
Your dear friend,
Shawn
"There are 'friends' who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother"
-Proverbs 18:24
sbb 17.5.11
1799
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