AUBURN - Gilbert Jackson led an eccentric life. The bank loan officer, who died in February of a massive stroke, built a gilded altar in his living room and a charming theater upstairs.
Above all, he loved the organ.
So his friends and family gathered on Sunday for an organ concert at St. Mary's Church in memory of Jackson, who died at age 73.
"It's an emotional time," said Darrell Peckham, a friend of Jackson's who met him when he approached Jackson for a loan in 1970 at the former Marine Midland Bank.
Organist David Peckham, Darrell's nephew, played several pieces, at times wistfully and at other times thundering, causing the music to bounce off the church's walls.
Jackson, though a humble man, had asked for a memorial organ concert.
"We traveled around the country to hear David's concerts for 35 years," Weedsport's Darrell Peckham said. "Gil asked for a memorial concert with David, just so people would know he's as good as we say he is."
David Peckham played the "Imperial March" by Edward Elgar, Prelude in Fugue in G major by Bach, "Will of the Wisp" by Gordon Nevin and a medley from the Broadway show "The Producers." Peckham, of the Elmira area, plays venues nationally and internationally, and is the resident organist at the Clemens Center, a regional performing arts center in Elmira.
In addition to his interest in the organ, Jackson made home movies in the style of Hollywood, playing all the characters himself.
He rented the Hollywood Restaurant in 1964 to show his version of "Cleopatra."
"He invited people and he showed the movie," Peckham said. "That's what he did. That was Gil."
Bob Reed, Jackson's classmate from the West High School class of 1949, remembered Jackson's version of "The Bridge Over the River Kwai."
"He acted every part himself," Reed said. "It was a real production."
"He might have been eccentric, but wonderfully, lovably eccentric," Peckham said.
Jackson always wanted to play the organ, Peckham said.
"If he's not too busy playing the organ up there," he told the crowd of about 40 people, "I hope he stops to listen."
So his friends and family gathered on Sunday for an organ concert at St. Mary's Church in memory of Jackson, who died at age 73.
"It's an emotional time," said Darrell Peckham, a friend of Jackson's who met him when he approached Jackson for a loan in 1970 at the former Marine Midland Bank.
Organist David Peckham, Darrell's nephew, played several pieces, at times wistfully and at other times thundering, causing the music to bounce off the church's walls.
Jackson, though a humble man, had asked for a memorial organ concert.
"We traveled around the country to hear David's concerts for 35 years," Weedsport's Darrell Peckham said. "Gil asked for a memorial concert with David, just so people would know he's as good as we say he is."
David Peckham played the "Imperial March" by Edward Elgar, Prelude in Fugue in G major by Bach, "Will of the Wisp" by Gordon Nevin and a medley from the Broadway show "The Producers." Peckham, of the Elmira area, plays venues nationally and internationally, and is the resident organist at the Clemens Center, a regional performing arts center in Elmira.
In addition to his interest in the organ, Jackson made home movies in the style of Hollywood, playing all the characters himself.
He rented the Hollywood Restaurant in 1964 to show his version of "Cleopatra."
"He invited people and he showed the movie," Peckham said. "That's what he did. That was Gil."
Bob Reed, Jackson's classmate from the West High School class of 1949, remembered Jackson's version of "The Bridge Over the River Kwai."
"He acted every part himself," Reed said. "It was a real production."
"He might have been eccentric, but wonderfully, lovably eccentric," Peckham said.
Jackson always wanted to play the organ, Peckham said.
"If he's not too busy playing the organ up there," he told the crowd of about 40 people, "I hope he stops to listen."
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