Jack Dodson Todd

He was born on October 27, 1967 in Oxford, MS, to Henry Eugene Todd and Jane Hendrix Todd. His father was a doctoral student at the University of Mississippi at the time, and his mother was a nurse in the campus infirmary. Upon Henry’s graduation, the family moved to Chattanooga, TN, where Jack’s younger brother Marcus Richardson Todd was born.

Jack spent his childhood years in Wilmington, DE, Brentwood, TN, and Atlanta, GA, where he attended Tower Hill School, Montgomery Bell Academy, and Pace Academy, respectively. He graduated from Pace in 1986 as class valedictorian and winner of the Frank D. Kaley award, given to the student who most exemplifies the school’s motto, Summum, Nitens, Confide, “to have the courage to strive for excellence.”

Jack continued to live out this motto the rest of his life, studying electrical engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, interning at NASA’s Langley Research Center (LARC) and the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), and graduating with highest honors, a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, as well as three honor societies (Phi Kappa Phi, Tau Beta Pi, and Eta Kappa Nu ). After earning his bachelor’s degree in 1990, he attended Duke University’s School of Law, graduating in 1994.

Over the next 31 years, Jack became one of the leading patent attorneys in the southeast, practicing with large firms in Greenville, SC, Charlotte, NC, and Atlanta, GA. In 2011 he joined with his brother to form the law firm of Todd Partners, P.C., which he co-managed until his passing.

Despite these accolades and accomplishments, Jack was known by all to be an unassuming, humble, and exceedingly considerate person. His final moments provided a perfect example of these qualities, when he texted a friend to cancel their lunch plans, offering “heart attack” as the reason, and apologizing for the short notice.

Jack’s character was shaped by his deep faith in Jesus Christ, who was his constant companion, the lamp to his feet, and the light to his path. In addition to Jack's faith, he was passionate about books, sports, politics, astronomy, and horticulture, among a wide range of interests. Most of all, he loved his family.

In college, Jack met the love of his life, Tracy Michelle Minchew. Tracy was a graduate of Crestwood High School and an architecture student at Georgia Tech, as well as a member of the women’s tennis team and Alpha Delta Pi sorority. They were married for 27 years until Tracy’s death from cancer, in 2017. With Jack’s passing, they leave behind three children: Ryan Wesley Todd of Durham, NC (along with his wife Danielle Estes, and their two daughters, Riley Michelle and Clara Louise), Harrison Brooks Todd of Greenville, SC, and Leah Kathryn Todd of Atlanta, GA. He is also survived by his parents, Henry and Jane Todd of Sandy Springs, GA, and his brother, Marcus Todd of Atlanta, GA (along with his two sons, Henry Thomas Todd of Madison, WI, and Lewis Richardson Todd of Asheville, NC.)

A memorial service and celebration of life will be held at 3:00 PM on Sunday, September 14, 2025, at Dunwoody Community Church, 2250 Dunwoody Club Dr., Atlanta, GA 30350.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a charitable contribution to KW Cares in the name of Jack & Tracy Todd.

They were very helpful to the family throughout Tracy’s fight with cancer, and Jack fully supported their work. For more information, go to https://donate.kwcares.org/.

Alternatively, please feel free to donate to the charity of your choice.