Jackson Eaves Tegarden

BROWNSVILLE, TX. - Jackson Eaves Tegarden of Brownsville, Texas, died peacefully following a prolonged illness on Friday, May 14, 2021. He was born to Laura Lee Tansill Tegarden and Elmer Jack Tegarden, Jr., on October 13, 1942.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Susan Tegarden Bigelow, and is survived by his twin brother, Gerald Clark Tegarden (spouse Cheryl Huntington Tegarden); nephews, Gregory Jackson Tegarden and Andrew Preston Tegarden; cousin, Louis “Lou” Scofield; and brother-in-law, Thomas E. Bigelow.

Sincerest appreciation is given to Jeannette Fennimore and family, Maria del Carmen Dominguez and family, Roxanne Perez, and the staff of Golden Palms Retirement Center and Healthcare for their loving care.

Jack was born in Brownsville. In high school, he raised a steer to be reserve champion in the livestock competition. He served in both the Air Force (Japan) and Peace Corps (Honduras) and graduated from Texas A&I University, Kingsville, attaining his bachelor’s in education, and from Texas A&I University, Corpus Christi, attaining his master’s in education (emphasis industrial arts).

“Mr. T,” as he was known as a teacher, taught drafting at Homer Hanna High School from 1977 until his retirement in 2013. His teaching philosophy was that he never met a person who did not want to learn. He believed that everyone has a hunger for knowledge and skills, and it was his calling as a teacher to feed this hunger. Under his advising, Hanna High School drafters medaled at 90% of district, state, or national SkillsUSA competitions and won at SkillsUSA State Championships every year since 1994. At the end of each competition, he played “We Are the Champions” by Queen in honor of his students’ successes.  He received countless honors and recognitions throughout his teaching career, including Brownsville ISD Secondary Teacher of the Year, Texas Vocational Teacher of the Year (Iota Lambda Sigma), and the Texas Excellence Award for Outstanding High School Teachers.

A Celebration of Jack’s Life will be held on Saturday, the 29th of May 2021, at 1:00 P.M. at Darling-Mouser Funeral Home. For those wishing to attend, social distancing and masks are requested by the family for everyone’s safety.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.darlingmouser.com.

Personalized funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Darling-Mouser Funeral Home at 945 Palm Boulevard in Brownsville, Texas 78520, (956) 546-7111.