By Paul Woolverton
The Fayetteville Observer, N.C.
LUMBERTON, N.C. — Lumberton police Officer Jason Barton Quick was remembered Thursday as a family man, a man of God and a man who quietly helped others.
Quick, 31, was killed on duty Saturday morning. He was struck by a car while investigating a car crash on Interstate 95. He was buried Thursday afternoon following a funeral at The Rock Church of God near Lumberton.
“What a blessing this young man has been to us all,” Lumberton police Chief Michael McNeill told the mourners. “A sharp, clean and dedicated law enforcement officer. One that I was very proud to say that he worked with the Lumberton Police Department.”
About 700 filled the pews and balcony of the church, including dozens of law enforcement officers from North Carolina and South Carolina. About 30 came from the Fayetteville Police Department, where Jason Quick’s brother Jonathan Quick is an officer. There appeared to be about 70 from the Lumberton Police Department.
Wreathes, banners and floral arrangements to honor Quick were placed near a nativity and other Christmas decorations.
The funeral service at times had the atmosphere of a church revival. Some participants got to their feet, raised their hands in the air and responded with “Amen!” and shouts to stirring sermons to celebrate Quick’s life and their faith that he is with Jesus in heaven.
Quick was “another brave and courageous soldier called home to be with the Lord. A soldier called to duty as a law enforcement officer and a servant to the people,” McNeill said.
Quick aspired to become the police chief one day, McNeill said.
“On December the 15th, 2018, somewhere around 6:30 a.m., just before this brave soldier went to see his master, he received a call that now he is chief of all,” McNeill said. “He said to himself that ‘Victory is mine now.’ He does not need a badge and he don’t need a gun to keep the peace no more. God gave him that chief job that he wanted so badly.”
The Rev. Kary Wilkins read a Gospel passage about doing service for others without bragging or for glory. Wilkins said Quick’s wife, Leah, had described to him how Quick lived that ethic.
“She began to tell me all the acts of kindness — the things that were done in secret that nobody else knew about — that Brother Jason would do,” Wilkins said.
“She began to tell me how he worked through Hurricane Florence, and he would get inboxes on his Facebook page: ‘And so-and-so needs your help. And so-and-so needs your help,’” Wilkins said. “And he would run to their rescue, working night and day, serving and protecting the community.”
There were other things that Quick did to help people, but no one knew “because Brother Jason didn’t toot his own horn,” Wilkins said. “Brother Jason didn’t get up and tell you what he did. He just did it.”
This happened on Saturday, Wilkins said. Quick wasn’t scheduled to be on duty that day. But another officer wasn’t able to work, he said, so Quick agreed to fill in.
“He said, ‘I don’t want to leave ’em a man short. I gotta show up. I gotta serve. I gotta protect,’” Wilkins said.
Quick was sent to a crash on I-95 near Exit 22. While investigating the wreck, authorities have said, Quick attempted to walk across the highway and was fatally injured when he was struck by another car driven by Kadejera Inman of Fairmont.
Investigators are still working on a reconstruction of the circumstances surrounding Quick’s death, said 1st Sgt. Michael Baker of the N.C. Highway Patrol, and at this point Inman has not been charged, he said.
In addition to his wife, Leah, and brother, Jonathan, Jason Quick is survived by his two children Jason and Madison; his parents Donald and Carolyn Quick of Red Springs; and other family, friends and colleagues.
His obituary says memorial contributions may be sent to the PBF Officer Jason Barton Quick Memorial Fund, 1305 Godwin Ave., Lumberton NC 28358.
Staff writer Paul Woolverton can be reached at pwoolverton@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3512.
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©2018 The Fayetteville Observer (Fayetteville, N.C.)