What does a legacy look like? What makes a successful legacy?
For the second time in the past few months, I found myself in the stands of a high school football stadium with the inspiration for this column. This time it happened to be in the middle of a Friday afternoon with no opposing team, only a large turnout from my hometown during the funeral service for a man who helped shape this small oil town in southeastern New Mexico, Mr. Mack Chase.
Now, to any outsiders the venue of a football stadium may have seemed strange for such a somber occasion, but in this instance it was the most appropriate place to hold the funeral for a man who was responsible for building so much of that stadium, evident by the way his name is plastered over both ends of the field, the press box and suites that he watched the games from every week, the giant screen that shows the names of players. Yes, this was truly Mack’s field.
That football stadium, along with so many other things in my town are visible reminders of the legacy this man left behind when he passed away at 92 years old. His family, his diverse portfolio of businesses and the pecan farms that he left behind are also a huge part of that legacy.
During the service, the mention of what a legacy he left behind was nothing short of spectacular, but aside from just the tangible things that will surround this town on Friday nights for generations to come, this legacy did more to inspire others.
Over a decade ago, Mr. Chase implemented a scholarship program for my hometown. This scholarship gave every graduating senior who met the requirements a chance to further their education with the foundation’s financial assistance. Since then, over 900 graduating seniors have completed a secondary education on this scholarship. I was fortunate enough to be one of those college graduates, and I am incredibly grateful to Mr. Chase for his contribution to my education without ever even knowing me.
His legacy will live on with every one of those students he helped, and I hope one day to be able to return the favor in some way to honor him, but his gift went beyond just money. It was seeing a need in our community and doing what he could to help. His legacy isn’t just the flash and awe of a football stadium; it’s the generous way he selflessly gave to those he didn’t even know.
As we approach the holiday season, I encourage you to spend some time looking around at what need you could fill. Think about what your legacy left behind will be and how your family and community could be helped with your gifts. The need may be just spending time with some folks who may need to know they are loved a little more than usual this time of year.
May your legacy thrive and be something you are proud of, and may you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
