Rev.TommieJackson, killed in Stamford police crash, was a 'very special man'

Jul. 27—Jackson, 69, was a well-known pastor at Rehoboth Fellowship Church and Faith Tabernacle Church, as well as the assistant director of the city's Urban Redevelopment Commission. Jackson, a grandfather, is survived by his wife Dorye, a Stamford police commissioner, and two daughters.

Rich Lyons, a long-time friend, had been in contact with the pastor just minutes before the accident occurred, he said.

"He was a very special man," said Lyons, who described Jackson as highly intelligent, street smart and willing to go the extra mile for anyone who needed help.

"He knew how to console people and he knew the scriptures greatly," Lyons said.

During the COVID-19 pandemic as evictions started taking place, Jackson organized his ministry to help people from losing their homes, Lyons recalled. "For a guy who had only been here a quarter of a century or so, he knew the city inside and out," Lyons said.

Jackson had been helping a parishioner who had a tree go through their home on the day he was killed, Lyons said.

"He was never afraid to make a phone call on someone's behalf," Lyons said. "He didn't have a resource that he couldn't reach out to no matter what the situation was."

State Rep. Corey Paris met Jackson in 2018 and they quickly developed a close friendship, speaking often on the phone.

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"He made everyone feel as though they had a connection with him," Paris said.

Paris said he and Jackson bonded over their shared love of Southern cooking, and the two often commiserated over issues that plagued the Black community.

"Rev. Jackson was a giant and his loss will be greatly felt across Stamford for many years to come and in various sectors," Paris said.

Gloria DePina, a former member of the Stamford Board of Representatives, said Jackson has been her pastor for the last 20 years, first at Faith Tabernacle Church and then at Rehoboth Church, which Jackson co-founded.

Over the years, she sought advice from Jackson numerous times.

"He is a person you can always count on no matter what the issues might be," DePina said. "Whatever he could do for the community, he was there for the community."

City and community officials lauded Jackson's work and issued tributes on Thursday as word of his death circulated through Fairfield County.

"I am devastated and heartbroken by the untimely passing of Rev. Tommie Jackson. Rev. Jackson was a pillar in the Stamford community and led a life devoted to faith and public service," Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons said in a statement.

Heather Cavanaugh, president and CEO of the Stamford Chamber of Commerce, also issued a statement on behalf of the organization's Board of Directors, sending condolences to Jackson's family.

"Rev. Jackson's vision, passion and willingness to always lend a hand is evident in all that he supported and touched," she said. "We thank Rev. Jackson for all of his invaluable contributions to our city. He surely will be missed with his positive energy and warm smile."

Jackson was devoted to his faith community and the greater Stamford community, both of which he tended to with tremendous kindness, compassion and care, said Stamford Superintendent of Schools Tamu Lucero in a statement. As pastor of Faith Tabernacle Baptist Church, Jackson held back-to-school rallies for his young members to build excitement for the upcoming year and he celebrated their successes by distributing supplies and backpacks, Lucero said.

"He was an inspirational presence in our schools on Martin Luther King Day, as we honored and recognized Dr. King's work," the superintendent said. "A steadfast supporter of Stamford Public Schools, Reverend Jackson was a dear friend whose counsel I will miss terribly. This is a heartbreaking loss for all of us. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Dorye, and daughters Evinn and Erin, at this difficult time."

"Our thoughts are also with Officer Lockwood, his family and the Stamford Police Department, as they work through the aftermath of this tragedy," Lucero added.

Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling also offered a message of sympathy to Jackson's family. "He was a very talented, remarkable man who worked very hard on behalf of his community," Rilling said in an email. "Well liked, well respected. This is a terrible tragedy, and our condolences go to his family his wife, his children."

Rev. Thomas L. Nins, of the First Baptist Church in Greenwich, said Jackson "filled every space he was in" and was "impactful" in everything he did. "He had a great love for his colleagues," Nins said. "Yes, he meant a lot to the community, but he had genuine love and regard for other pastors."

Jackson was a proud alumni of Morehouse College in Atlanta and embraced his work as an instructor at New York's Theological Seminary, helping to develop others who were training to be ministers and pastors, Nins said.

Nins recalled that when he first came to Greenwich about 20 years ago, Jackson was the "welcoming committee of one."

"He welcomed me with open arms," Nins said.

Jackson was also a great father to his daughters and to every pastor's child in his circle, Nins said.

"He always asked us how our children were doing," Nins said.

If there was a problem that needed to be addressed, Jackson would find the resources to help the parent and child, the Greenwich pastor said.

"That was the kind of friend he was," Nins said.

He was also funny and had a commanding presence no matter where he went, Nins said.

"Inconspicuous would not be how you described Pastor Jackson," he said. Nins and the entire community are still processing Jackson's loss, he said.

"There is no way anyone could be prepared for this," he said.