There has been a lot written about Jack Connors in the last week. And deservedly so.

Jon Chesto today wrote a column about who will be the next Jack Connors and ultimately concluded on no one. Very few of us can’t be replaced but Mr. Connors is one of those unique individuals that brought together such a cross-section of Boston that is unlikely to be replaced anytime soon.

My Jack Connors story includes maple syrup, one of my favorite foods. Pancakes or waffles? Both as long as it includes real Vermont maple syrup.

I met Mr. Connors in 2001 when a mutual friend introduced us because Jack wanted to hear more about our campaign to pass the Community Preservation Act in Boston. We made the trip to the 60th floor of the Hancock tower and entered the suite that was his office and home to the Connors Family Foundation. He asked some hard questions about the campaign and our plan to win and later pledged to help our efforts, quietly but effectively.

That campaign, ultimately, was not successful when 9/11 happened and Fidelity Investments CEO Ned Johnson became one of the few business leaders not swayed by our arguments that CPA would be good for Boston.

Fast forward fifteen years and we found ourselves in the same office with a Jack Connors that had the same fire in the belly to rectify a wrong. He signed on to the campaign again and, one more time, lobbied his colleagues and helped us raise money. He kept asking great questions about our campaign and was the quiet power behind our efforts.

At the end of one of those meetings on the 60th floor, he disappeared to a room or closet off of the office and returned with several bottles of maple syrup. A personal stash of maple syrup from his farm in Vermont. A totally unexpected but very personal thank you to those of us working for a better Boston.

That was Jack Connors. He knew the powerful in Boston and knew how to challenge elected officials, business executives and religious leaders alike. He put his stamp on causes like Camp Harbor View in highly visible ways and helped passed the Community Preservation Act in Boston with a quiet, effective, behind the scenes effort. But if you were lucky enough to know Jack Connors, he would show his kindness and gentleness in many ways, not the least of which was handing you a bottle of maple syrup from his office in Boston or out of the trunk of his car down the Cape.

Today is his funeral at St. Ignatius of Loyola at Boston College. He will be laid to rest surrounded by family, friends and flowers from the likes of Joe and Jill Biden as well as from those he helped along the way. Let us all strive to be a little more like Jack Connors and the Ignatius prayer that is on his Mass card.

Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous;
teach me to serve You as You deserve,
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to seek reward,
except that of knowing that I do Your Will.

Amen.