About the Author

Jack C. Lail was born on April 6, 1933, into a large farming family in the rural community of Bethlehem, North Carolina. Growing up during the Great Depression, he was the tenth child in a family that faced significant hardships, including the foreclosure of their family farm the year he was born.

His early life was shaped by hard work on various rental farms, particularly a Duke Power rental farm on the banks of Lake Hickory. He began his education in Bethlehem and was a high-performing student, eventually graduating from Taylorsville High School in 1951.

Following high school, Jack worked in the furniture industry and served as a shop instructor for a veteran training program before enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1952. During his four-year naval career, he served as an aviation electrician and deployed to the Mediterranean aboard aircraft carriers.

On Christmas Day in 1954, Jack married Betty Edwards. His professional journey eventually led him to Seagrove, North Carolina, where he founded Mid-State Plastics and became a cornerstone of the local community.

Beyond his success as an entrepreneur, Lail dedicated decades to civic leadership, serving on several influential boards, including Randolph Community College, Wingate University, and Randolph Hospital. He was also a driving force in transforming the historic Luck’s cannery into the Luck, Comer, Lail Center.

Now in his nineties, Jack and Betty have been married for over 70 years and have traveled the globe together. They currently reside in Asheboro, North Carolina.