Jack Dieken

After 89 years, Jack Dieken finally got to meet the father he never knew but patterned his long law enforcement career after.

Dieken, the longest-serving sheriff in Taylor County history -- and an Abilene police officer for 26 years before that -- died Feb. 10, five months after suffering several life-threatening embolisms.

A celebration of the career lawman's life will be held at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, at First Baptist Church, where he had been known as "Deacon Dieken" since 1988. The Rev. Mike Greenfield, associate pastor, will preside. Visitation with the family and a reception will follow. Services are under the direction of Elmwood Funeral Home.

A private graveside service will be held at the Texas State Veterans Cemetery. Joe Frush of FBC will preside and the United States Marine Corp Honor Guard will render military honors.

The last five months were challenging for the former Marine but he was able to steel himself for one event dear to his heart: the Jan. 15 dedication of a sign at the intersection where his father, a Dallas Police Department motorcycle officer was fatally injured Aug. 9, 1935 -- two days after Jack was born .

Of course, Jack didn't remember his proud father holding him the day he was born, but he made a lifetime habit of honoring his father based on what his mother told him.

"She told Jack that before his father held him for the first -- and what would become the only-- time, he laid his police cap on her hospital bed. Jack became superstitious about that. He never once laid his cap or hat on a bed. He thought it was bad luck," said Jack's widow, Jacinda.

She said Jack, who was confined to a wheelchair, was moved to tears at the unveiling of the sign reading "John W. Dieken. End of Watch 8-10-35" and bearing a picture of his badge, number 207.

The officer died the following day in the same hospital where Jack was born.

Police officers told Jack his father's accident is part of a Dallas urban legend. The senior Dieken was operating motorcycle number 29 when a car ran a red light and he hit it broadside. The cycle caught fire, and the heat exposed the number 13 under the 29.

"Number 13 was the same motorcycle that another officer was riding when he was killed in a high-speed chase only three months before,"

Jacinda said. After the second wreck, police dubbed it "The Widowmaker"

and retired the vehicle.

Jack Willis Dieken was born Aug. 7, 1935. He got his names from his father, who was called Jack even through his birth name was John, and a relative who was killed in a farming accident. He finished high school in Missouri and, like his father had done, immediately joined the Marines. He served three years as a supply clerk before being honorably discharged as a sergeant in 1961.

He wound up in Abilene after visiting some distant relatives and found the city to his liking. He worked as a delivery man for Thorton's department store until he decided he was ready to continue in his father's footsteps.

The Abilene Police Department came really close to losing a future outstanding officer. How close? an eighth of an inch.

When he first applied for the police academy he was turned down because he was 1/8th of an inch too short. The standard was later lowered, and he joined APD in 1966. Starting out as a patrol officer he rose steadily through the ranks. From 1969 to 1989, he was a detective who was able to walk the fine line between cooperation with the news media and keeping prosecutors happy by not revealing too much. He also graduated from the FBI Academy.

During that time his hard work and expertise earned him promotion to sergeant in 1970 and lieutenant in 1979.

It also earned him the eye of Police Chief Warren Dodson's secretary, Jacinda Galloway.

and vice versa. They dated for about four months but couldn't afford to marry because the city's nepotism rules would cause one of them to lose their job.

Eventually, another officer would offer them free use of an apartment he earned by being an off-duty security guard. "He lived nearby and didn't need the apartment," Jacinda explained.

So, on July 1, 1977, they were married by Justice of Peace Roland Dunwody during their lunch hour. They returned to "work" long enough to attend the retirement reception for Jack's mentor, detective chief Capt. George Sutton. Then Jacinda resigned from her job and Jack went back to work.

Most notable of his investigations were the murder of Abilene artist Mary Eula Sears, the murder of an FAA flight controller killed during a robbery and the murder of a pregnant woman by her Eagle Scout husband.

All resulted in convictions, two in the death penalty (courts later reduced one to life).

As a visionary leader, Jack started Abilene's successful Crime Stopper program in 1989. In 1992, he decided to retire from the APD and challenge incumbent Sheriff Julian Hernandez in the Republican primary.

He might well have been the first Republican to be elected Taylor County sheriff. He served 16 years, retiring in 2008.

Present Sheriff Ricky Bishop worked as a jailer during Jack's administration and remembers his significant addition to the county's detention Center.

Bishop's chief deputy, Craig Griffis, said Jack was his mentor and was responsible for him being where he is today. In 2000, Jack created the Cyber Crimes Unit within the department, picked Griffis to head it and sent him to Washington D.C. for training.

"We were the first unit in this part of Texas" concentrating on computer crime, Griffis said.

Griffis said Jack taught him three important lessons that he continues to pass on to new deputies he trains.

"He said to ask yourself three things: 'Number 1. Is it fair? Number 2. Is it legal? and Number 3. What would your mother think of your actions?'"

Now in his 32nd year in the sheriff's department, Griffis said his father, Wendell also was a deputy for Jack. He said Jack was a "hands on" sheriff who often showed up at crime scenes to assure his detectives were touching all the bases.

Jack was a longtime member and deacon at First Baptist Church.

He is survived by his wife, Jacinda; three daughters: Melissa Dieken-Hanna and Stephanie Dieken-Honey, both of Abilene and Courtney Dieken of Lubbock; three granddaughters, Chelsee Karnes of Abilene, Chassiti Karnes of San Antonio and Hannah Thornton of Baird; five

great-grandchildren: Malloree Thornton, Dieken Thornton, Olly Karnes, Daniel Garcia IV and Waylon Gwinn; one sister, Jewel Dodson and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Margaret Smith and John William Dieken; his in-laws, Gareth and Virginia "June" Galloway; two brothers, James Donald "Jimmy Don" White and Joe T. Kington; a sister, Margie White Kronlage and twin granddaughters, Madison and Darby Morris.