H.J. Tollett Jr.

Horace James Tollett, Jr., known lovingly as H.J., passed away peacefully on September 15, 2026, at the age of 91. A devoted husband, proud father, grandfather and great-grandfather, beloved brother, and loyal friend, H.J. built a life defined by family, service, leadership, and an enduring commitment to the people and communities around him.

Born on February 13, 1935, in Galveston, Texas, H.J. was the son of Margaret Cogbill Tollett and Horace James Tollett, Sr. He attended Kirwin High School and later served his country in the United States Air Force from 1955 to 1959. In 1961, he married Jo Ann Pusateri, beginning a loving marriage that spanned 65 years and became the heart of a large and close-knit family.

H.J. is survived by his loving wife, Jo Ann; his five sons, James and his wife, Sheila; Kenneth and his wife, Donniece; Jeff and his husband, Nicky; Mitchell and his wife, Camille; and Paul and his wife, Cynthia. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Rachel Dunn and her husband, Matt; Wesley and his wife, Annie; Lilah; Walker and his wife, Sohee; Andrew and his wife, Kaeli; Benji and his wife, Maite; Leah; Jimmy and his fiancé, Ryan; Audrey; Miles; Sidney; and Lucas; as well as his great-grandchildren, Charlotte and Arthur. He is further survived by his brothers Wayne Tollett, Douglas Tollett, Jesse Tollett, and Pat Tollett.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings Robert Tollett, Lee Tollett, Jordy Tollett, Mary Adair, and Marie Costello.

A Life of Leadership, Service, and Joy

For more than 40 years, H.J. was a respected leader in Houston's real estate management and development community. He became a Certified Property Manager in 1968 and went on to form three real estate management companies, own and hold stock in two financial institutions, develop and build commercial properties, and manage more than 17,000 apartment units. Across the years, he employed and supervised hundreds of managers and maintenance professionals, leaving a lasting influence on the industry and on the many people who worked alongside him.

His career reflected both vision and determination. H.J. served as President of Tollett Management from 1968 to 1972; Founding Partner of Fairhaven Development from 1972 to 1993; Founder and President of Oak Leaf Management from 1972 to 1993; Chairman and President of Sun Savings Association from 1986 to 1993; and President of Rachel Realty Company from 1993 to 2003.

H.J. also gave generously of his time to professional and civic service. A member of the Houston Apartment Association beginning in 1968, he served as its President in 1977. He was named the Association's Man of the Year in 1984, received the National Housing Conference's Housing Man of the Year honor that same year, and was inducted into the Houston Apartment Association Hall of Fame in 1988. Appointed by the Mayor of Houston to the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of Houston, he served as Chairman from 1982 to 1984 and again from 1992 to 1997.

Away from his professional accomplishments, H.J. found joy in the things that mattered most: time with family, a round of golf, tending his garden, traveling, fishing, and exploring computers. His family will remember not only the scope of what he achieved, but the life they shared with him, the example he set, and the many memories created across generations.

H.J.'s legacy lives on in his beloved wife, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, siblings, extended family, friends, and the countless lives he touched. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.

Forever loved. Forever remembered.