Jack Hand, Jr.

Memorial Services for Jack Hand, Jr., 71, of Nacogdoches, will be held at 11:00am on Friday, December 6, 2024, at Laird Funeral Home, officiated by Reverend Gary Davis. A visitation will be held prior to the service from 10:00 to11:00am on Friday, December 6, 2024, at Laird Funeral Home.

Jack Hand Jr. was born to Laura and Jack Hand on May 31, 1953, in Nacogdoches, Texas. Soon to follow were brothers, Jerry and John. As stair-step kids, essentially one year apart, they spent their childhood living on Pleasant Lane, playing ball, riding bikes, and making mischief with all the other friends in the neighborhood. They frequently stayed with their grandmother, Ma, who occasionally took a switch to them and their friends and cousins when too much mischief occurred.

With the help of his dad, Jack began working at age 13, and continued working summers until graduating from NHS in 1971. He then secured a position with AT&T (then Southwestern Bell), starting as a switchboard operator until he gladly transferred to an outside position, restoring phone service to nearly every house in Nacogdoches at one time or another. When he wasn’t working, he enjoyed fishing, hunting, and traveling.

His first date with Paula was at Casa Tomas, after which they attended her kids’ band concert, meeting her parents and ex-husband. Why he didn’t bale, we’ll never know.

True to his nature, he didn’t ask Paula to marry him. He told her, “I want to marry you.”

After one week of marriage, when discussing chores, he straight-up said, “Jack does what Jack wants to do.” However harsh that sounds, he extended that freedom to her, encouraging all her crazy passions and establishing a mutual harmony between the two of them.

He also became a parent to John and Emily, supporting their college years at the University of Texas and eventually a proud grandpa to their offspring.

In 2009 he retired from AT&T, but that only lasted four months before returning to a bucket truck for Windstream.

In addition to hunting and fishing, Jack became a meticulous woodworker. Mostly self-taught (aside from a high school shop class), he created hand-crafted jewelry and other gifts for lucky family members and friends.

Successfully retiring after 40+ years of phone repair, Jack did exactly what he wanted to do…every day.

He hunted, fished, and poured hours into caring for the land in Shady Grove. He loved teaching the grandkids to fish, killing fire-ants and messing around on the computer. 

He lived a good life. He was kind-hearted, principled, and loved a good laugh. His humor and willingness to help anyone, no matter what, will be sadly missed.

Something he often said, and definitely lived by was, “I Ain’t Never Had Too Much Fun!”

His survivors include wife Paula, brothers, Jerry and wife Patti of Woden, John Hand of Nacogdoches, step-children, John Hull and wife Lacy of Phoenix, Emily Devlin and husband Mike and grandchildren Max, Libby, and Lilah of Austin, mother-in-law Elaine Goforth and sister-in-law Carla Post and Bob and their daughter Parker of Lucas, Texas.

Jack was also very close to nephew, Wes and Jennifer and their kids, Gentry, Grayson, nieces, Tammy and Mandy and their kids, Alyson, Amber, Jenny and Perry and their kids, Kaden, Kase, Dean, Sarah, Rachael and Miles and son, Maddox.  The numerous cousins were also very close family.

In addition to his parents, Jack Sr. and Laura, he was preceded in death by his father-in-law, Paul Goforth and sister-in-law, Eva Hand.

If you wish to make a memorial contribution, the family suggests Love INC of Nacogdoches or the charity of your choice.

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