On December 27, 2021, Jack Palmer Green, our beloved Big Jack, passed away peacefully from a life gracefully well-lived for 96 full years. Born in Mercedes, Texas on November 2, 1925, to Eric and Lucille Green, Big Jack's story-filled journey began when he and his parents moved to Corpus Christi, where he attended and graduated from Corpus Christi High School in 1942. In Corpus, he met his lifelong love, Leloise Snow Green. The two would go on to exchange a multitude of love letters after he left to serve in the Army Combat Engineers during World War II, both in Europe and the South Pacific. Upon his return, the lovebirds were married in December 1946 and were by each other's side until Leloise's passing in 2008.

In 1949, Jack Green graduated from Texas A&I University in Kingsville with a BS in Engineering, and began his life as an engineer. After joining Fairbairn Electric in 1963, he retired in 2004 having served as President and Owner, and later as Vice President and Consultant, for over 40 years. A Registered Professional Engineer by trade, the list of accolades in his field was far too long to encompass just that title. Over the course of his long and distinguished career, he was a proud member, President, Director, or Chairman of the National Electrical Contractor Association (NECA), Texas Society of Professional Engineers (TSPE), National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Corpus Chapter (IEEE), Nueces Chapter, TSPE – Past President and Past State Director, State Insurance Committee Chairman, TSPE, and Southwest Line Constructors, to name a few.

His public service and civic engagements were unparalleled. A charter member of South Shore Christian Church, Big Jack was a devout Christian and knew where he was going. On his long walk with us, he was a faithful Servant. He served in many leadership positions in his church, from Elder to District Chairman, and was active in the church chapters of the Boy and Girl Scouts. Jack was an integral member of SCORE, a small business mentor group, as well as a professional speaker and teacher, with a range of topics from Ethics to Electrical Estimating. Later in life, he attended and was equally faithful to First Christian Church of Corpus Christi. Such devoted service defined his life; in 2017, Honor Flight Austin invited Jack to Washington, D.C., to visit the World War II memorials dedicated to the service and sacrifices of all veterans. But perhaps one of Jack's proudest commitments was to the Rotary Club of Corpus Christi, where he was recently recognized with a 55 year pin for perfect attendance as a Rotarian, at 96.

If you were really lucky, you were addressed by Big Jack as Girlfriend, Sweet Patootie, or Lover—no matter your gender or your age. None were as special as Lover, his highest compliment to your character, and one where you knew you were truly in his favor. He knew few strangers and had a story for them all. He was partial to taking the road less travelled—literally. Road trips were not jaunts, but journeys -- a one hour drive on any map was no less than three at Big Jack's helm.

His devotion and love for his children and especially to his grandchildren could only be described as Big Jack's way: mandatory driving at age 13, accompanied by a blind eye to yet another dent or scratch to the family Crown Victoria; Ritz crackers used as skeet thrower substitutes—training for his love of the outdoors at the next hunting trip; beach antics and capers purportedly described as (but not limited to) bouncing loved ones off a cooler and out of a suburban down the dunes of Padre Island, and tales of his loyal German Shorthaired pointer, Babe, who most certainly welcomed him to Heaven with some stern words as to why it had taken him so long to get up there. The stories are countless, and the impressions indelible.

His legacy survives through his family; his children, Susie Olson (Rick) of Austin, Nancy Herring and Jack D. Green, both of Corpus Christi; his grandchildren, Sam Olson (Erin) of Austin, Scott Olson (Erin) of Houston, Kate Conner (Chris) of Dallas, Jake Herring (Lisa) of Corpus Christi; Christine Stivers (Tyler) of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Marshall Green of College Station; and his adoring great grandchildren— Everett, Tanner, Nola, Hudson, Leloise, Roane, Sadie, and soon to be baby Kendall, due March of this year. He is predeceased by his beloved wife of 59 years, Leloise, and a host of other loved ones; most recently by his son-in-law Gary W. Herring and his granddaughter Betsy K. Herring, all of whom adored him and who no doubt had a bourbon and water waiting for him upon his arrival.

The family would like to extend its gratitude to his special family friend, Linda Hinojosa, for her innumerable years of dedication and loyalty to Big Jack and Leloise. The mutual devotion between Jack and his "girlfriend" was paramount. His Catalina neighbors also played a steadfast role in surrounding Big Jack with love and care each day.

Big Jack showed us all how to be gracious in all circumstances, how to enjoy life, how to do things his way, and how to be happy and grateful until the end. He was most definitely, as he would tell you, "the luckiest son of a bitch alive." He will be greatly missed.

A memorial service will be held at 12:00 pm on Friday, January 14, 2022, at First Christian Church, with a burial following at the Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery at 2:00 pm, where he and Leloise will rest together.