John Wesley Tunnell

John’s beloved parents, Ruth Ann and Joe Tunnell preceded him in death. His parents were important in John’s life and the collective life of his family. He is survived by his sister Jo Ann Tunnell Muench and husband Ray Muench; his brother Thomas Rusk (T.R.) Tunnell and wife Debbie Tunnell; nephew Matthew Tunnell and wife Mia Mullins and their sons Finch and Knightley; and, nephew Adam Tunnell and wife Shabnam Rajaei. John is also survived by his ex-wife and lifelong friend, Jackee Cox of Ft. Worth.

John’s life serves as a testimonial to his family and friends, the legal community, and to the world. His life was in large part a quest to make the world a better place. His professional role was defender of the underdogs. He worked to make real the vision that the arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice. His professional life was dedicated to protecting justice in the courts of Texas.

John’s career as a lawyer was enriched by long and careful readings of American history. He gave special attention to the American civil war, the development of American religious movements, and to the “Red Scare” and McCarthyism. John used the lessons of history as a tool to shape and improve the law. In his arguments as a criminal defense attorney, he sought to temper justice with mercy. He saw himself as a contemporary version of Clarence Darrow. John was a voice for reason, justice, and compassion.

John’s legal career was varied. He graduated from The University of Texas School of Law in 1981. Initially he worked with and for his father in Tyler, Texas. They were co-counsel in a civil rights case in defense of a local Sheriff. John subsequently became an Assistant District Attorney in Gregg County, Texas. John was proud of his role as a prosecutor, because he could use his position to secure the dismissal of cases not fully supported by the evidence, and ensure that full disclosures of relevant evidence in his cases were always made prior to trial. After a few years in the DA’s office in Longview, John returned to private practice.

During the first years of Ann Richards’ term as Texas Governor, John served as General Counsel to the Texas Secretary of State, John H. Hannah. In that job, John played a key role in drafting a law that set new and higher ethical standards for elected and appointed officials. Following passage of the legislation, John was appointed Interim Director of the newly established Texas Ethics Commission. His job was to write agency rules for enforcement of the new legal standards that would govern agency hearings to be conducted by the first Texas Ethics Commission. He served as the first General Counsel for that Commission.

Following John Hannah’s appointment as a federal district judge in the Eastern District of Texas, John accepted the position as Judge Hannah’s first law clerk. In that capacity, John drafted case decisions in both civil and criminal cases. After his clerkship with Judge Hannah, John returned to the private practice of law in Lufkin, Texas. He dedicated most of his time and energy to securing justice for the accused in criminal cases. He was highly regarded for his analytical skills and for his trial work and appellate briefs.

John’s friends and family remember John for his wit, his analytical skills, and for his devotion to family. Someone important to us has departed from this world.

A memorial service will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Huntington on March 2, 2024 at 12:00 noon with a reception at Lone Star Charley’s Restaurant in Lufkin at 2:00 P.M.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the First United Methodist Church of Huntington, 458 Hwy 69 South, Huntington , TX, 75949.

Condolences may be offered at www.gipsonfuneralhome.com. Services have been placed in the trust of Gipson Funeral Home.