How do you say goodbye to your hero?

“Daddy has been building for me my entire life. I have lived in four homes constructed by his strong, rugged hands. He created all sorts of backyard equipment for my younger sister and me, and he put together the wooden swing set for my children.

“But this amazing man can take credit for building so much more than structures. He built his own construction business from the bottom up. He built a large, loud, silly family. He built a community. He built a reputation for integrity and honesty and respect.”

~

I wrote those words on Father's Day 2016 — while sitting with this strong-willed, determined man as he breathed easier with the help of an oxygen tank, lying on his side, fighting the pain that had developed that week — on what I expected to be my last dads holiday with him.

But if this man has taught me anything, it's that he would fight harder and longer than anyone thought possible.

My larger-than-life Daddy, my all-time hero, took his final breath last Thursday evening. His body and mind are whole again, and I know he is rejoicing in Heaven. But here on earth, my heart is in a million pieces. I've never felt such heartache.

Daddy has always been the backbone of the family. The wisdom. The final say. The man who will come when a child calls.

He was always ready to give a tight hug — or even a loan — when one of his children needed him. He took fatherhood seriously. His children and his family were his world.

If I needed a hammer — or a drill or an extension cord or a two-by-four, for that matter — Daddy had one handy. He was the one person I could always count on. When my daughter's car stalled on the expressway, she knew she could call her Pappa for help.

He had such a giving heart.

When I ended up with a stray puppy when I was living in a duplex Daddy built on South Main Street, he came over with a handmade doghouse.

And when that same sweet little dog passed away at age 15, Daddy built him a final resting box and took on the task of burying Carl — with a shovel in his hand and tears in his eyes.

Daddy was always there to help me move — whether from one childhood home to another or to college or to my first home. When I moved into a new house this summer, it was the first time Daddy wasn’t there to help me with the heavy furniture. That realization hit me hard.

Daddy was a building contractor for more than four decades. My current home definitely is not a Jack-built house — some doors don’t always stay open, one doesn't close all the way.

Daddy was a man who stood firmly behind his work and knew what it meant to work hard. He taught me to have pride in my work and to always strive for my best.

He loved being mayor of Winter Garden and made sure he was present at groundbreakings and ribbon-cuttings. I feel a sense of pride when I'm looking through the newspaper archives and see his big smile in photos where he was representing the city as mayor at various events.

One of his favorite events was Light Up Winter Garden at Christmastime. He always had a huge smile on his face — and in his eyes, too — as he asked the audience to help him count down from 10 before he threw the switch to light up the city’s downtown.

He was such a proud mayor.

If you're on the West Orange Trail in Oakland, you can't miss the giant, 300-year-old oak tree near Lake Brim in Oakland Park. It was named the Quercus Quesinberry Oak and dedicated to Daddy in 2008. It was a proud day for the entire family, and Daddy was excited to have a tree named for him.

I will carry with me a lifetime of wonderful memories to comfort me.

He’s the man who called me Mamy (add an M to Amy) when I was little. I can still hear his special whistle that alerted us that he was home from work.

I will forever be comforted by the smell of fresh-cut lumber. It takes me back to our house on Highway 50 and Daddy's barn out back. It was dark and always ankle-deep with wood shavings, the scraps of his latest construction project.

We moved into that house when I was 1. The closest I ever got to having childhood pets was when Daddy brought my sister and me outside to meet a new calf just after it was born. He also had hunting dogs, and when a litter of puppies was born, Jeni and I claimed them all. My favorite was an all-chocolate one I named Cocoa. Daddy knew how attached I was to that one, and even though he was intent on selling all of them, he did make sure Cocoa was the last one to leave.

Back then, there were just a few radio stations for listening to music, but my mind is instantly taken to that era of 8-track tapes, even now, whenever I hear a Statler Brothers song. Their music is my comfort, especially now.

Another comfort is the porch swing at the family cabin in North Carolina. I always pack several books, usually memoirs, and can spend days on that swing, getting lost in my books. Two-and-a-half years ago, I took my son up there for a few days. Mother and Daddy were there, too. As usual, I was outside on the swing, when Daddy came out and sat down and started talking about everything and nothing. I put down my book and joined him in the relaxed conversation.

Later, Mother apologized because she knew how much I wanted to be out there reading alone. I remember telling her that one day I would be glad I had that one-on-one time with him.

Little did we know that this moment would come sooner than we expected. Just a few short months later, Daddy suffered the first of three strokes. His steadfast determination during physical therapy wasn't a surprise to his family, for we knew what he could accomplish once he set his mind to it.

It was such a privilege to be there for him when he needed me.

I know just how wonderful he is, and after posting about his death on Facebook, other people were sharing just what he meant to them, too. Their words have comforted me.

Pamm Stewart - Winter Garden is the thriving, growing, beautiful little town where everyone wants to live now in large part because of the efforts of former Mayor Jack Quesinberry. In hearing of his passing today, I’m reminded of his … genial personality, love of family, many friends and hard years of service to Winter Garden. He stuck to his ethical guns when our sleepy town was under siege from moneyed out-of-town interests and foresaw the long-term advantages of building the West Orange Trail. Much of what you see and love in downtown Winter Garden today is part of Jack’s vision for what Winter Garden could be. It was an honor to serve as his appointee on the Charter Review Board and Parks & Recreation Master Plan Board to help shape the direction of our town toward his views. I tip my hat … to a beloved public servant and a good man.

Mike Armbruster – I will never forget him and the impact he made on this place I call home, and in me, personally. His impact is around every corner.

Richard Mask – This man was truly a legend, not only to this town but to the fraternal organizations he was affiliated with. He was the only true 33rd-degree Mason I have ever known. Said what he meant and meant what he said. My heart is broken.

John Gardner – Your dad was special, a man with impeccable integrity and overwhelming caring for the community. … His accomplishments are present everywhere you venture in West Orange.

Jim Gentry – Many hearts breaking over your father's passing, not the least of which is my own. It's a testament to the way he made each of us feel that it seems I've lost a family member.

Former Orange County Commissioner Bob Freeman – The mayor will be missed. He should be credited for a lot of the positive changes in West Orange County.

Sheri Loiacono – What a tremendous legacy this man has left the world.

Delmar W. Johnson – Loved the mayor, and he will be missed! What a life he lived, and what a tremendous legacy he leaves! He was one of a kind, and I'm a better person for having known him!

Bobby Butler – Since 1981 he affectionately called me “boy” when he saw me, and I prayed that I would become half the man he was. God has a special place prepared for the mayor.

Laine Reeves Richardson – Winter Garden is what it is now, thanks to the planning of your dad.

Noelle Haner Lowery – He will forever be my favorite mayor.

Shannon Wagster – Thank you for sharing him with the city of Winter Garden.

Scott Billue – He was an amazing man. Full of love for his family and his community. Mayor, you will be missed.

Bret Traywick – He was a fine man … as a private citizen, businessman and public servant.

Karen Rader Hausmann – He will be remembered always for his amazing visions for the revitalization of historic downtown Winter Garden.

Shauna Dillon Anstey – I admired his leadership of the town he loved and am so thankful for all that he did to make Winter Garden such a wonderful place to raise our kids.

Michelle Ford Gentry – I feel blessed that our family got to share a very special connection with yours. I always loved to say, “We live in the house that Jack built”!

~

After a lifetime of service to others, it's time for you to rest easy, Daddy.