Joseph "Joe" Elwood Rinehart III

To know Joe Rinehart was to know a man who was the very definition of service. He loved God, his family and his community. He was a devoted husband, brother, son, father-figure mentor and friend. As a teacher and coach for 34 years in Brazosport ISD, students, players, young coaches and new teachers looked up to him, and knew they were loved because he was always there for them. And he understood kids. He brought not only the facts to his class, but wisdom, perspective and presence. He knew when they needed a laugh, a little love and even correction. He showed up. He even showed up for the children of those he previously taught. BISD was a second home to him.

Joe passed away at home surrounded by his family and close friends on Thursday, September 24th. Joseph Elwood Rinehart III was born June 10,1948 in Houston, TX to Joe E. Rinehart, Jr. and Mary Louise Rinehart. He was the proud older brother to one sibling, his younger sister, Mary Harlow Rinehart whom he first met after his dad treated him to a Dairy Bar hamburger and orange sherbert in 1953 as they waited for her arrival.

At the center of Joe’s world for the last 29 yrs was his wife, Rebecca “Becky” Camfield Rinehart. Together they lived a life centered on faith, love, laughs and the occasional eyerolls. And of course, sports. Rumor has it that it was the only channel that worked on the TV.

Joe had numerous sayings, that we lovingly refer to as “Joe-isms”. We often heard, “Every day’s a holiday and every night is the 4th of July.” He tried not to take life or himself too seriously and he wanted those he mentored to see the good things in life. Likewise, he anointed many with nicknames. Becky certainly received her fair share of names from Joe over the years, most recently during his health issues, that name was Nurse Ratchet. No one was immune from receiving a nickname.

Joe was a graduate of Stephen F. Austin, a proud Vietnam Veteran, BISD School Board Trustee, a City Councilman, the Mayor of his beloved Lake Jackson, a dedicated member of Chapelwood United Methodist Church, and a strong supporter of Chapelwood’s Pre-School Ministries. Mostly, he was a teacher and coach at his very core. And then, as our pastor said, he was a collector of people, very young and old, all who quickly called him a friend.

After returning from Vietnam, he taught and coached his first football team at Freeport Intermediate in 1978. After 2 years he was called up by his former coach, BWood’s famous LZ Bryan. Joe walked the halls of Brazoswood HS from 1980 to 2012 mentoring students as well as athletes. After retiring in 2012 to run for Mayor, you would often find him in the schools reading to young children and attending end-of-year concerts and programs across the district, not to mention sitting on many bleachers or walking the sidelines for so many sports. One of his favorite places was Room 12 at Beutel Elementary where to Ms. Kib and the kids he was known as ‘Joe, the Mayor.’ It was a place where he found immense joy and the smiles were always big, even on Joe’s face.

Joe Rinehart gave so much of himself to Brazosport ISD and to the community he loved. His connection to the district spanned decades—as a teacher and coach, a mentor, a trustee and, most importantly, as someone who genuinely cared about students, staff and schools.

Joe never simply served on the Board. He showed up. He made it a point to be present and to let people know that what they were doing mattered. He served because he believed in Brazosport ISD and because he believed in the people who make this district special.

Joe held many jobs and titles. Former students often asked him what they should call him after he was elected Mayor in 2012. He often said, “I’ve been Coach a lot longer than anything else.” But to so many in Brazosport ISD and Lake Jackson, he was simply Joe, doing his best to know you and care about what mattered to you. As he often said, ‘It’s your world, I’m just a cloud floating by.’

Joe was a wonderful father to Becky’s two daughters over the years, having known them for so much of their childhood roaming the halls of Brazoswood where their mom taught sophomore English. Molly and Meredith meant so much to him and that feeling was visibly mutual.

Joe was preceded in death by his father, Joseph Elwood Rinehart, Jr. and his mother, Mary Louise Harlow Rinehart. We find comfort in knowing that he has now been reunited with them.

Joe is survived by his wife, Becky; his sister, Mary Rinehart, his daughter Molly Lowery Adams; son-in-law, Marcus Adams; daughter Meredith Gale McCollum and husband Mark McCollum; his sons and grandchildren of the heart, Quirino Silva and wife Maria and Dartwan Bush and wife Kimberly and his granddaughters Kennedy and Demari Bush.

Services will be held at Brazoswood High School Auditorium, 302 West Brazoswood Drive, Clute, TX 77531 at 2:00 PM on Saturday, October 24, 2026, with a reception to follow. Interment will be at Restwood Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please consider supporting the kids Joe loved and donating to the BISD Education Foundation at PO Drawer Z, Freeport, TX 77541 or Chapelwood Pre-School Ministries, 300 Willow Drive, Lake Jackson, TX 77566