Earlier today, my colleague and dear friend Jake Thompson lost his brave battle with pancreatic cancer, which he fought for nearly two years, leaving behind his wife and adult children.
Jake was a prominent figure in the AWS community. He joined our team in the spring of 2006 and immediately began making his mark. With his background in business, he was determined to ensure that his audiences recognized the cloud’s significance in terms of business value, beyond just technical specifications. During our early days together, he sketched a rough yet comprehensive diagram on our whiteboard, illustrating the business value of cloud computing. This diagram has since been featured in countless presentations by me and many of my colleagues.
Jake relished his role as an evangelist. As he stated in his LinkedIn profile: “There is nothing more exhilarating than sharing the incredible possibilities that Amazon Web Services offers.” His enthusiasm made it easy for him to travel the globe, sharing the concept of “the cloud” with anyone willing to listen.
After nearly four dynamic years as an AWS evangelist, Jake shifted his focus to new challenges as the organization expanded. He took on the responsibilities of managing Strategic Alliances and Partner Training, eventually retiring in the Spring of 2014 after more than two years as a Professional Services Consultant. Retirement was a difficult decision for Jake, forced upon him by his declining health. In his farewell email, he expressed: “This is the only job I’ve ever had where I set my alarm for 5:30 AM and still woke up early to get to the office. So, going cold turkey to ‘you can’t work’ is going to be incredibly tough.”
Jake and I shared an office for several years, discovering that we had much in common – a low tolerance for nonsense, a passion for evangelism, and a strong appreciation for family values. I learned a great deal from observing him, and although I was technically his manager, my role was mostly limited to signing his expense reports and conducting annual reviews. He was self-sufficient, knowing what needed to be done without the need for boasting.
In addition to his work at Amazon, Jake dedicated time and energy to serve on the Advisory Board for the Cloud Computing program at the University of Washington’s department of Professional and Continuing Education. Even as his health deteriorated and travel became increasingly difficult, Jake made it a priority to attend every meeting, passionately advocating for his viewpoints with unwavering politeness.
Just two weeks ago, I was on a conference call with Jake and a fellow AWS colleague. Despite being officially retired, heavily medicated, and weakened by his illness, he remained steadfast in his commitment to promoting a stronger AWS presence in vital markets.
A lifelong aviation enthusiast, Jake owned a gleaming silver 1947 Luscombe 8E for many years. While I never had the chance to fly with him, our conversations made it clear that he would have been a calm and collected pilot in any situation. Unfortunately, Jake’s health declined before he could complete the assembly of the kit plane (a Van’s RV-9) he had begun working on a few years prior. Though the terms “kit” and “plane” can sometimes evoke skepticism, Jake’s well-known craftsmanship would have assured anyone of his abilities, and I would have been honored to fly alongside him.
To Jake’s wife and children, know that he loved you immensely, perhaps even more than he expressed. Your names were frequently mentioned in our conversations, and his care for each of you was evident. He worried about you, took pride in your achievements, and wished for nothing but the best for you.
I struggle to find the right words to encapsulate Jake’s essence. He was an extraordinary individual, and it was a privilege to work alongside him. Rest in peace, my dear friend. You will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing you.
— Sarah
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