I’ve received word that Jack Corkey, a fellow chorister at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Reston has died. His wife, Laurie, returned from church on Sunday morning; he was on the floor after his usual run. Apparently—kindly—it was quite sudden.
Aside from all the other ways they contributed to the vibrant St. Anne’s (and Northern Virginia) community, Jack and Laurie are part of my first and strongest memories of my time in the choir. Laurie was the accompanist, Jack sang tenor. Jack had that easy-going ranginess of the distance runner (although I didn’t know he ran); and the two had the most brilliant million-megawatt smiles. They were welcoming and generous, and helped me feel at home, which isn’t easy to do.
They also provided the communion bread from their bakery—strong, molassy, dark bread in round loaves the servers broke off to give you. I hate the straw disks you get at communion rails in every other church I’ve attended and miss that earthy flavor.
I didn’t know Jack very well. Just well enough to know that, at age 66, he died way too young and has left a hole in the community fabric.
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