Jack Aldridge
June 25, 1938 — May 21, 2015
ABILENE: Jack Aldridge, 76, of Abilene died Thursday, May 21, 2015. A visitation will be held on Friday, May 22, 2015 at Fry~Smith Funeral Home in Tuscola. A graveside service will be held the next day, Saturday May 23, 2015 at Dewey Cemetery, four miles west of Lawn, Texas, officiated by Rev. Amy Wilson Feltz, directed by Fry~Smith Funeral Home.
Jack was born June 25, 1938 to Willie and Danie May (Smith) Aldridge in Lawn. He graduated from Lawn High School in 1956 and then from Texas Tech University in 1960. Jack was an outstanding high school basketball coach, winning 780 games in his 41-year coaching career. He started his coaching career in 1960 at Nazareth, Texas. He had coaching stints at Anton, Borden County, Le Marque, Abilene High, Waxahachie, Humble Kingwood, Abilene Cooper, Spring Westfield, Conroe, and Houston St. John’s. Jack won four regional championships and four state tournaments appearances in Austin while coaching at Waxahachie. He took his Humble Kingwood to several regional tournaments during his nine years at Kingwood. While coaching at Abilene Cooper his teams played in two regional tournaments. Jack was awarded several “Coach of the Year” honors at different schools. Jack was inducted into the Waxahachie Athletic Hall of Fame in the fall of 2013.
He is survived by his brothers J.W. (Spud) Aldridge and his wife Marilyn of Abilene, Phillip Aldridge of Goldsboro; sisters, Faye Grant and her husband Bill of Abilene, Bennie Hendrix of Abilene; uncle Amos Aldridge and his wife Dorothy of Content; nieces Melinda McDonald of Ft. Worth, Lori Frymire and husband Tommy of Abilene, Darla Laughter and husband Turner of Boerne, Lisa Zoller and husband Mark of Greensburg, PA, nephews Greg Copeland and wife Monica of Whitney, Curtis Copeland and wife Cindy of Trophy Club, Bill Aldridge and wife Shirli of Denver, CO and Aaron Hendrix of Abilene; special friends Don Carlson of Hilton Head, SC Greg and Gyna Gober and their children Tyler and Colten of Colleyville; and many cousins.
Jack was preceded in death by his parents.
Pallbearers will be Bill Aldridge, David Aldridge, Denny Aldridge, Larry Aldridge, Ronny Aldridge, Mike Copeland, Tim Copeland, Kent Finley, Colten Gober, and Aaron Hendrix.
Honorary pallbearers are all former basketball players who played for Jack.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association 301 South Pioneer Suite 105, Abilene, TX 79605, or the charity of the donor’s choice.
Jack’s family wishes to express their thanks to Judy Hancock and her staff of Choices Assisted Living and Dr. George Dawson and the staff of Hospice of the Big Country for their special care of Jack for the past year.