ODMCC Memorials

Jack always talked about his many friends at this church and the great group of people that were here and every now and then I would meet one of you when I visited Jack. It wasn't until Jack had to move out of his apartment at the Lutheran Home and into a room in the main building that I really understood what all of you meant to him. I first met many of you when you showed up to help him through that difficult period and without you he would not have gotten through it. I still remember when he got a little testy that weekend and you would just start singing a church song until he started laughing. I sure heard a lot of singing that weekend! When it came time for the yard sale and then the flea market sale you pulled together again to help out. He was so proud of you and he really appreciated it. His greatest comfort, however, was the steady stream of you that came to visit him in the home and the rides to church on Sunday. He was truly blessed with many friends and he loved each and every one of you. I was with Jack the day he passed away in the hospital and the day he was buried in Ohio. He had planned his funeral down to the last detail many years ago and Curt and myself carried out all of his wishes. He was buried with the ashes of his beloved dog, Amy, in his Ministry robes next to his parents. He wanted you to know that his spirit would always be right here, with his friends.

[For the Memorial at the Home, I prepared a eulogy about Jack's career that very few knew about. He was not a person to talk very much about the past, and they only knew him as a resident who was very unhappy with being confined to a wheel chair and a person that could talk very loudly. I would like to read the same eulogy for all of you.]

Jack moved into his independent living apartment here at the Home in 1995. He was very happy there, with Amy his dog. He always had visitors and he always had time to help those needing some advice. He loved it there and retirement was good.

When Amy died he got a little upset at Dr. Reichard, the Director of the Home, and myself for not letting him get another dog. Fortunately, Jack took most of it out on Dr. Reichard, who is a trained professional in this area, but in the long run Jack knew it was the right thing to do. I won't talk about the time Dr. Reichard got a little upset at Jack for tearing the front door of the Home off its hinges with his electric cart.

The day he was told it was better if he moved into the home was a difficult one for him. As one his neighbors said that day, she will also be kicking and screaming when her time comes! It took awhile to adapt to his new situation, but the great staff finally got him squared away. When he needed more help, he was moved to another station, but, as the staff knows, he was not very happy with the move!

Many of you heard him at one time or another talking very loudly to the staff, but very few heard him apologize in the privacy of his room, and he almost always did. He really loved them and they always understood.

Beside the medical problems Jack was having, he just couldn't come to grips that he was now dependent on others and needed a wheel chair. I think I have some insight to the reasons why.

For almost 40 years Jack was totally involved helping handicapped young adults, people with severe disabilities and disadvantaged kids. He started in Cincinnati, Ohio where as the Pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Cross; he had to do something to stop the gang-related violence. He organized the Federation of Young Adult Lutherans to get the kids off the street and into the church. He was so successful with his Federation that it was adopted nationally by the Church.

In 1968 he went to work for the District of Columbia, Department of Vocational Rehabilitation as a counselor for the placement and coordinator of employment for handicapped young adults and individuals with severe disabilities. He also trained the sponsors and supervisors who were then sensitive to the needs of the handicapped young adults. He averaged every year 500 summer job placements for the handicapped. He lectured at local universities, colleges, and rehabilitation centers on vocational evaluation for the handicapped and participated on almost every committee for the handicapped and individuals with disabilities in the District, Maryland and Northern Virginia. He retired from the District of Columbia in 1989 when he turned 65.

He was a past President and Board Member of the DC Rehabilitation Counseling Association and President of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association.

He served on the Forest Heights Town Council; the Maryland Governor's Council for Persons with Disabilities; the Board of Directors of the New Day Wellness Coalition for Southern Maryland; the Board of Directors of the Whitman-Walker Clinic of Maryland; and he was a Vocational Counselor for the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Prince George's County for 9 years.

In 1982 he helped found the Open Door Metropolitan Community Church now located in Boyds and last week the Church choir visited the home and sang Christmas Carols for Jack and all the residents of the floor. In 1987 he founded the Chapel in the Woods in Upper Marlboro as a retreat and worship program for the needy.

In 1995 he fully retired from public service when he moved to the Home.

He was a National Certified Counselor, a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and a Certified Vocational Evaluator. He was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church in Washington DC and the Open Door Metropolitan Community Church in Boyds.

This is who Jack Seymour really was. He touched many, many people through out his career and we will all miss him very much.

Since his death, I have talked to many of his very old friends located all over the country; people that knew Jack for 40 years or more. Their story is always the same; one of great friendship and Jack helping them and helping the less fortunate.

We will never know the full scope of his reach, but many people had their lives enriched with his friendship and he will be profoundly missed by all. There is no better place to preserve his memory than right here, a place he dearly loved, and I am very grateful to all of you for what you are doing.

Eulogy offered by his cousin, Bill Llyod.

In Memorium - Rev. Jack Seymour- 1928-2002



Jack always talked about his many friends at this church and the great group of people that were here and every now and then I would meet one of you when I visited Jack. It wasn't until Jack had to move out of his apartment at the Lutheran Home and into a room in the main building that I really understood what all of you meant to him. I first met many of you when you showed up to help him through that difficult period and without you he would not have gotten through it. I still remember when he got a little testy that weekend and you would just start singing a church song until he started laughing. I sure heard a lot of singing that weekend! When it came time for the yard sale and then the flea market sale you pulled together again to help out. He was so proud of you and he really appreciated it. His greatest comfort, however, was the steady stream of you that came to visit him in the home and the rides to church on Sunday. He was truly blessed with many friends and he loved each and every one of you. I was with Jack the day he passed away in the hospital and the day he was buried in Ohio. He had planned his funeral down to the last detail many years ago and Curt and myself carried out all of his wishes. He was buried with the ashes of his beloved dog, Amy, in his Ministry robes next to his parents. He wanted you to know that his spirit would always be right here, with his friends. [For the Memorial at the Home, I prepared a eulogy about Jack's career that very few knew about. He was not a person to talk very much about the past, and they only knew him as a resident who was very unhappy with being confined to a wheel chair and a person that could talk very loudly. I would like to read the same eulogy for all of you.] Jack moved into his independent living apartment here at the Home in 1995. He was very happy there, with Amy his dog. He always had visitors and he always had time to help those needing some advice. He loved it there and retirement was good. When Amy died he got a little upset at Dr. Reichard, the Director of the Home, and myself for not letting him get another dog. Fortunately, Jack took most of it out on Dr. Reichard, who is a trained professional in this area, but in the long run Jack knew it was the right thing to do. I won't talk about the time Dr. Reichard got a little upset at Jack for tearing the front door of the Home off its hinges with his electric cart. The day he was told it was better if he moved into the home was a difficult one for him. As one his neighbors said that day, she will also be kicking and screaming when her time comes! It took awhile to adapt to his new situation, but the great staff finally got him squared away. When he needed more help, he was moved to another station, but, as the staff knows, he was not very happy with the move! Many of you heard him at one time or another talking very loudly to the staff, but very few heard him apologize in the privacy of his room, and he almost always did. He really loved them and they always understood. Beside the medical problems Jack was having, he just couldn't come to grips that he was now dependent on others and needed a wheel chair. I think I have some insight to the reasons why. For almost 40 years Jack was totally involved helping handicapped young adults, people with severe disabilities and disadvantaged kids. He started in Cincinnati, Ohio where as the Pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Cross; he had to do something to stop the gang-related violence. He organized the Federation of Young Adult Lutherans to get the kids off the street and into the church. He was so successful with his Federation that it was adopted nationally by the Church. In 1968 he went to work for the District of Columbia, Department of Vocational Rehabilitation as a counselor for the placement and coordinator of employment for handicapped young adults and individuals with severe disabilities. He also trained the sponsors and supervisors who were then sensitive to the needs of the handicapped young adults. He averaged every year 500 summer job placements for the handicapped. He lectured at local universities, colleges, and rehabilitation centers on vocational evaluation for the handicapped and participated on almost every committee for the handicapped and individuals with disabilities in the District, Maryland and Northern Virginia. He retired from the District of Columbia in 1989 when he turned 65. He was a past President and Board Member of the DC Rehabilitation Counseling Association and President of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association. He served on the Forest Heights Town Council; the Maryland Governor's Council for Persons with Disabilities; the Board of Directors of the New Day Wellness Coalition for Southern Maryland; the Board of Directors of the Whitman-Walker Clinic of Maryland; and he was a Vocational Counselor for the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Prince George's County for 9 years. In 1982 he helped found the Open Door Metropolitan Community Church now located in Boyds and last week the Church choir visited the home and sang Christmas Carols for Jack and all the residents of the floor. In 1987 he founded the Chapel in the Woods in Upper Marlboro as a retreat and worship program for the needy. In 1995 he fully retired from public service when he moved to the Home. He was a National Certified Counselor, a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and a Certified Vocational Evaluator. He was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church in Washington DC and the Open Door Metropolitan Community Church in Boyds. This is who Jack Seymour really was. He touched many, many people through out his career and we will all miss him very much. Since his death, I have talked to many of his very old friends located all over the country; people that knew Jack for 40 years or more. Their story is always the same; one of great friendship and Jack helping them and helping the less fortunate. We will never know the full scope of his reach, but many people had their lives enriched with his friendship and he will be profoundly missed by all. There is no better place to preserve his memory than right here, a place he dearly loved, and I am very grateful to all of you for what you are doing. Eulogy offered by his cousin, Bill Llyod.