Charles Jefferson Southard II

Born on January 15, 1945 in Coffeyville, Kansas, Jeff was the son of William Patrick Southard and Genevieve Fitzpatrick. He graduated from St. Thomas High School in 1962 and went on to serve in the U.S. Army from 1965 to 1968. After his service, he earned a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Houston.

In 1984, Jeff married the love of his life, Janet Badeaux. Together, they made their home in Seabrook and Galveston, Texas. Jeff was a devoted stepfather to Michele Coakley and a loving husband to Janet.

Jeff had a deep love for Galveston, the beach and sailing “Beautiful Dreamer” . He also enjoyed traveling, playing poker and bridge but most of all sharing life and adventures with their many friends.

Jeff spent his highly productive career at Texas Instruments. Jeff was a key contributor of TI’s “single-chip” calculators. He became a champion of integrating all the electronics in a cell phone.He mentored many engineers and his legacy lives on at TI and many other companies.

He is survived by his wife, Janet Southard, stepdaughter Michele Coakley, granddaughter Sofia, sisters Ann Kowalsky, Mary Wyatt, brother Pat Southard and many beloved nieces and nephews. He will be remembered for his warm heart, adventurous spirit, and enduring love for his family.

A visitation for Jeff will be held Monday, September 22, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Forest Park Lawndale Chapel of the Angels. A funeral service will follow at 2:00 PM and a committal service at 3:00 PM at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery 77023.

In memory of Jeff donations may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation:

give.michaeljfox.org