After a busy November ushering babies into the world, I bid farewell to a family member. My uncle, Jack Wieder, died unexpectedly on Sunday after a life that was too short, too hard and too lonely. He was 54.
The world was not against my uncle but he thought it was. In the end, what you believe to be true is your truth.
He is survived my his mother, Celia, his sisters Leona and Sandy and brother-in law Michael, and his wife of three years, Kathy. If the depth of her grief was a measure of her love for Jack, he was very well loved indeed. He was preceded in death by his father, Soloman Wieder in 2005, whom he lived for but could never live up to.
Jack was troubled but bright, always wanting to do good by his family and the world. I learned alot about him at his funeral. I am sorry it didn't happen when I could tell him how much I respected him.
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3 comments:
I think Jack was my union brother but you would never know it from the way he acted. He seemed to be mad at the world for some reason, even though I tried to get close he shut me down.He lived right down the street from me in the 1990's @ the FAD house "Fight against drugs".But it was no use he would not open up to me what was bothering him. Some inner demon I guess.
I searched the internet to see if anything was noting Jack's death and found this. I was a childhood and lifelong friend of Jack. He was a very good athlete in our youth. He was very bright and very decent. He was also very popular.
Jack's life and death troubles me greatly aside from the loss of a friend. My own son and many young men remind me of him in ways. Too many young people, especially boys, who seem to have so much going for them are so troubled. Jack preceded the MTV, Youtube, Myspace culture and as far as I know was not too interested in them still I think some of these innovations have turned young people into non thinking, non doing lazy people who expect to have everything done for them and do nothing for themselves. I guess my Dad said the same of television but this stuff is like TV on steroids.
Jack's life seemed to be one of frustration. I had not really seen much of him the last few years and was not even aware he had gotten married. I remember for years when we would plan to get together he would constantly reschedule as something else had grabbed his time. If the phone rang the night before one of our scheduled meetings I would tell my wife that it was Jack calling to reschedule. This was pre caller ID and I was never wrong.
Jack worked hard but seemed to have trouble making progress. While many attribute his troubles to his desire, and self believed inability, to measure up to his father (I definitely believe that existed) I think it was more an inability to transition from the carefree hippie style life to the responsible adult life. I think his friends moved on but he did not.
In any case Jack should be remembered as a very good natured, kind, decent man who deserved better.
Is this the Jack Wieder that lived in San Francisco for a time at 150 Whitney St? I think he may have been my boyfriend for 3 years suring the 1980's. A wonderful guy. His dad was a holocaust survivor. If so, can his sister please call me to let me know what happened? I met her.
Thank you.
Claudia Cole Bluhm
510-909-9115 - cell
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