were sitting around the table, and he drew up something for me on a piece
of paper. Since he was temporarily out of work, he helped his daddy and
his brother build the building for me.” Jack named the place he built in the
woods The Treehouse. The steak and seafood restaurant continues to be a
community favorite.
In 1998, Jack sold the Seawinder. Unfortunately, after a few years
and a couple of owners, the restaurant closed, and the building fell into
disrepair. When the property went into foreclosure, Jack bought it back. In
2006, he retired and turned the Treehouse over to his son Michael. “He’s
done well with it, and I congratulate him for that,” said Jack. He added, “I
would be remiss to not mention the four most important people in my life:
My wife Martha, and the three wonderful children she gave me, Denise,
Frank, and Michael. All have done well with the help of their Creator. I am
a very proud dad.”
When Martha passed away on November 12, 2016, Jack struggled to
find his way forward. He joined a Grief Share group at First Baptist Church
in Vidalia where he attended, and found a measure of comfort. “I talk to
ABOVE Struggling to move forward after his
wife passed away, Jack joined a grief share
group and began to realize that even tough
times can produce evidence of God's presence
in our lives. He began writing his thoughts
down, and soon they turned into poems.
52 TOOMBS COUNTY MAGAZINE