Jack Wingate Honored
Jack Wingate, who left an indelible mark on all those who knew him, was honored on the Floor of the United States House of Representatives by Congressman Sanford Bishop.
Congressional Record Statement
In Honor of Jack Wingate
Mr. Bishop (GA) – Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart and feeling of fond remembrance that I rise today to pay tribute to a close personal friend, committed community leader, avid conservationist and one of America’s most accomplished and legendary bass fishermen – the late Jack Wingate. Mr. Wingate, affectionately known as the “Sage of Seminole,” passed away on Thursday, December 8, 2011 at his residence in Recovery, Georgia.
A large gathering that consisted of family members, friends, colleagues and his expansive network of admiring fans, paid their respects to Mr. Wingate at his funeral service that was held on Monday, December 12, 2011, at Calvary Baptist Church. The funeral service was followed by an interment at Cool Springs Cemetery and Masonic graveside rites were provided by the Faceville Masonic Lodge number 487 along with military honors that were bestowed by the United States Navy.
Mr. Wingate, an immensely popular and universally respected public figure in the Decatur County, Georgia community for several decades, was born on September 1, 1929 in Faceville, Georgia. The son of William Paul Wingate and Myrtle Bates Wingate, he was a 1947 graduate of Faceville High School and was a Korean War veteran.
After honorably serving in the military during the Korean conflict, Mr. Wingate returned to his home state of Georgia and founded the famous Lunker Lodge on Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Georgia. This nationally renowned lodge has hosted several prestigious fishing tournaments and has earned a reputation as a favored compound for expert bass fishermen and notable celebrities. Jack also operated the Wingate’s Fishing Camp for Boys at Lunker Lodge and introduced many young men and future expert anglers to the outdoors for 33 years.
Along with operating the Lunker Lodge, Jack had a very successful career as a media commentator and columnist. Over several decades he served as a columnist for the Bainbridge Post-Searchlight newspaper and frequently made appearances on local TV and radio stations throughout Southwest Georgia to discuss current events, tell fishing stories, and provide in-depth updates on conditions at Lake Seminole.
Jack Wingate achieved numerous successes in his life, but none of this would have been possible without the grace of God and his loving wife of 59 years, Joyce E. Wingate. Jack was also the proud father of three daughters – Katherine W. Kent and her husband, Lamar, of Chattahoochee, Florida; Peggy W. MacDonald and her husband, Wayne, of Macon, Georgia; and Jacquie Wingate of Recovery, Georgia. Jack is also survived by two beloved grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in paying tribute to Mr. Jack Wingate for being an outstanding ambassador and unyielding supporter of communities throughout Southwest Georgia and for all the outstanding work he did on behalf of working families throughout our United States of America.