Luke Jacox

Luke Kyle Jacox was born on June 8, 1936, in Brownsville, Tennessee (Haywood County) to Elder Jonas and Emma Jacocks. He was the sixth child born out of eleven children and uncle to two nephews who were also raised by his parents as his brothers. Luke accepted Christ at an early age at the Church of God and Christ where he attended with his parents and siblings. He knew the Lord and knew the word of God. He was the favorite child to his Great Grandmother Susan Jacocks who lived with his family during his early childhood. He attended school up until the eighth grade, and following school he worked alongside his family.

Luke was a talented singer and guitar player. There was always singing in his home by his mother Emma Jacocks, and this gift also flowed onto Luke and his brothers and nephews. He started his professional singing career with the gospel quartet group The Spirit of Brownsville where he sang with J. C. Rachell and his brother Martin Jacox (who later sang with the Original Soul Stirrers).

Luke moved to Chicago, Illinois in the mid to late 1950’s where some of his older brothers had moved as well. His first job there was with Meadow Mays Donuts. He worked here until he started his career working with cars and detailing at Roseland Buick. He worked there until the dealership closed in the eighties. This where Luke honed his craft as a very good and meticulous detailer. While at Roseland Buick he helped launch careers for his family and friends. He was able get employment for several of his younger brothers, brother-in- law, nephews, and some friends as they also relocated to Chicago, Illinois. This helped them not only have a job but build a career. After the closure of Roseland Buick, he went on to work for several years with Kelly Keen Nissan and later went to work at a Chicagoland BMW dealership where he later retired. Luke was great at his craft and loved it.

Luke was a very loving, charismatic, kind, and giving person. He could make you laugh or smile when he needed to. He was very close to all his brothers, nieces, and nephews. He was always dressed very debonair, car always showroom ready, and hat in place. He was very close to his friends, and you could not find a more loyal person. He gave everyone a chance to prove themselves, would help anyone, and would also give you the truth whether you were ready to hear it or not. He was always ready to give you a nickname that always rang true and came from the heart. It was an honor to have one bestowed upon you because you knew he cared for and loved you.

Luke was a talented singer, song writer, and guitar player. In Chicago he continued his music career singing with the Swan Mellarks where he sang for a while with his brothers Martin and Isiah Jacox, cousin, Joe Paris, and close friends Bob Butler, Clem Boyd, Deacon Brown and others. Later he and his brother Martin worked together to create the quartet group The Sons of Jonas that was named for their father and included his bothers Larry Jacocks, Eddie Jacox, and nephews Freddie and James Jacox. The group later included his close friend Lee Welsey Long, who became another brother to the family. His brother Martin Jacox and close friend Willie Rogers of The Original Soul Stirrers would also sing with them on the quartet circuit when they were in town after their groups’ concerts. Luke wrote and arranged most of their material. He was still singing those songs and never stopped writing songs and arranging until his later years. He kept up with all his family and his quartet family.

Luke was surrounded by love. He spent close to 30 years with the love of his life, Gwendolyn Eugenia Smith, who proceeded him in death by two months. He loved her deeply and losing her was hard for him. They supported each other through their time together. Both were loved very much by all that knew them. Also proceeding him in death are his parents Jonas and Emma Jacocks, seven of his brothers Martell, Alex, William Cliff “Pete”, Jonas, Isiah, Martin, and Eddie, his two sisters Jeannette Elliott and Laura Mae Jacocks, and his two nephews Freddie and James Jacox (who were raised by his parents as his brothers).

To cherish his memory are his brother Larry Jacocks of Nashville, Tennessee; sister-in-law Ora Jacox (Eddie) of Chicago, Illinois; Nieces, Sharon Elliott, Callie Jacox, and Linda Jacox of Chicago, Illinois who helped take care of and check on him; Close friends Lee Wesley Long and his children, Willie and Josie Rogers, Reverend Preston Boyd all of Chicago, Illinois; care givers Mary Long and Felicia Falls who worked with both Luke and Gwen in Chicago for many years and were more like family to us all, and a great number of nephews, nieces and cousins, as well as many other friends Luke made all over the city of Chicago and in the quartet community.

Luke lived a great life. He left us with his love, humor, laughter, stories, antidotes for life, and his music. He was happy to be loved and to return it. You felt his love for you the moment he flashed his beautiful smile or gave you a quick look with the furrow of his brow, that quickly turned to a smile as well. He shared many funny stories of something from his past days singing, times with his brothers, or something from his childhood. We will always love and miss Luke, and his memory will always draw a smile or laughter and love in our heart.