Jack Rafferty, Jan 4, 1940 – Feb 5, 2015

February 7, 2015

Jack Rafferty, long-time Tech volunteer and former racer has died as the result of a stroke. He was 75 years old.

There will be a visitation at Lowe Funeral Home, 2205 S. Church Street in Burlington on Sunday, February 8th from 3:00 to 3:45pm, followed by the funeral service at 4:00pm. 

Below, is a remembrance of Jack, written by his good friend, Buddy Matthews.

Jack was a world traveler and had been everywhere and done a bunch. He raced with SCCA in a SR and then a SRF after the changeover. He kept his car out at the SCCA garage in Greensboro and he helped me in Tech for years, until some back problems stopped him a few years ago. I could frequently talk him into coming to a Chapter meeting and his mere presence at the meeting brought out a bit of cheer from all in the room. Everyone was always glad to see Jack.

Jack became a writer a few years back and a couple of his books got published. His book that I got on my Kindle from Amazon was called Blue Smoke and White Crystals, a drug trading story about smuggling drugs in frozen lobsters. The chief detective in this case and one of the main characters was named Rusty Matthews. How’s that for a friend?!

I recently assisted Jack in moving a washing machine to Angier for a rental home Jack owned there and I wish I had a movie of us two old guys letting a washing machine whip our asses. I couldn’t believe that it could be so heavy. I’m sure happy that I talked him into letting me go on that job because it would have killed him two months ago!

I can’t remember when he appeared so fit as recently and was totally knocked off my feet when Connie, his wife, called me in St. Simon and told me that Jack had had a stroke and was in the hospital. Last Sunday night when I saw him sleeping in the hospital I never guessed that the next message I got was that he was gone. Damn, we had actually talked about him helping me in Tech this year and now that ain’t gonna happen.

Thanks for the memories old friend.
Buddy Matthews, friend indeed of Jack Rafferty

In the photo below, that’s Jack in the burgundy sweatshirt.

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