Having grown up in Waterloo, Jack Locke is a familiar face in the community. He attended Whittier Elementary, West Junior Middle School, and graduated from West High in 1969. And of course, being a Locke, he’s been part of Locke Funeral Services most of his life.
“I grew up a few blocks from our Locke on Fourth Street location,” Jack said. “As a child, Grandma and Grandpa’s house was at the funeral home, the original location on East Third and Walnut streets. In junior high, I started mowing the lawn, dusting, and washing cars. And I spent the summer before my senior year in high school painting the West Fourth Street location, which opened in August of 1968.”
Jack continued working at Locke’s throughout college as well, coming back for the summers and some weekends to help his father and uncle. When Jack graduated in 1973, he came back to the place that always felt like home: Locke Funeral Services. And he’s been working to serve the needs of those in the community ever since.
“Over the years, I have been fortunate to have established friendships and relationships with generations of people who have trusted us to help them at their time of need,” Jack said. “I have worked with great people who gave of themselves to serve others. The reward for me has been to be able to help others, to give back to the community which has given me so much, and hopefully to make a difference.”
Especially in recent years, Jack’s role has changed. He now focuses his time helping the Locke’s team serve families and on special projects. For Jack, it’s a welcome change. He gets more time with his grandchildren, reading, and traveling. Of course, those who know him are already aware, Jack has always welcomed change.
“Change will happen,” Jack said. “We see it all around us, in every aspect of our lives. Years ago, I was happy for the invention of pagers. Fax and copy machines and later computers added to what we were able to accomplish. I was fortunate to have a grandfather, father, and uncle who were open to change, and we continue to embrace this philosophy.”
The newest location, Locke at Tower Park, is a clear example of this philosophy at work. It is a great investment and task to continually improve upon and expand services. It shows Locke’s commitment to embracing and adapting to the community’s wishes. And the Locke’s team will continue to look for ways to better serve the community, because they understand the importance of what they’re trusted with.
“I learned by working with my family from an early age, and try to impart on our team, the importance of the work we do,” Jack said. “The importance of paying attention to detail. The importance of serving with a humble heart. The importance of professionalism, honesty, and compassion.”
Compassion. It’s a word that comes up time and time again around Locke’s. It has from the moment they first opened their doors. Locke’s is committed to continuing to provide the compassionate service they’ve been known for all these years. And their tagline, Generations of Compassion, is a pledge to honor that heritage as they look to the future.
“Generations of Compassion means more to me than a simple tagline,” Jack said. “When you stand back and look at our team and what we do, you realize that it is not only our heritage, but it is fundamentally who we are. I believe we can all take pride in that.”
If you need any funeral services, please contact Locke Funeral Services by calling 319-233-6138. Our staff is ready to assist you with any of your needs.
