Jack Halpain

He was born on January 1, 1933, in Cameron, Texas, to Joe and Vivian Halpain. Jack Halpain married Donnie Lue Wiley on May 31, 1955, and they had three children, Edwin, Melinda and Barbara.

Jack Andrew Halpain was preceded in death by his parents, father Joe Halpain and mother Vivian Fikes, his wife, Donnie Lue Halpain; his daughter, Melinda Dunnam; his son, Edwin Halpain and his great-grandchild, Blake Anderson, brother Joe Halpain and spouse Bonnie, brother Billy Gene Halpain, Donald Halpain and spouse Elizabeth, “Ping”.

He is survived by his spouse, Mary Taylor Tatom; his sister, Debra Cheyne; and his daughter, Barbara Turner and sons-in-law, Johnny Dunnam and Doyle Turner, stepsons David Tatom and Dennis Tatom and spouse Bellia. He also leaves behind his grandchildren, Jarod Halpain and spouse Cate, Jeni Pillow and spouse Matthew, Amanda Anderson and spouse Cody, Jessica Nazario and spouse Chris, Kristin Blackstock and spouse Kelsea, Matthew Turner and spouse Meme, Jeremy Tatom, Ashley Delgado, Jakob Tatom, Shayna Tatom, Jonathon Tatom, and Bayla Tatom; his great-grandchildren, Ethan, Owin, Colin “Coco”, Nathan, Brynn, Maggie, Penelope, Jeremy, Gavin, Abby, Jack, Isaiah, Andrew, Holden, and Sophie; and a great-great-grandchild, Aeris-Sage Baker.

Jack was known for many talents. He served in the United States Navy, worked for the City of Lubbock as a firefighter for 31 years, was an airplane owner and pilot, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle shop owner, a racecar Lubbock Speedway track owner, a minister, a toastmaster, an officiant, a spouse, a father, a grandfather, a friend, a wiseman, a talker, loved to meet up with different coffee drinkers, hard worker up until his death, a risk-taker and anything good you can think of in this world was Jack Halpain!

Jack arrived here New Year’s Day 1933; Herbert Hoover was finishing his term. Who can remember a time before Jack? He was just always here…for family, friends and that random stranger with the good fortune to cross Jack’s path in a time of need, (including picking up hitchhikers, when you know you know). Correction: That’s absolutely false. Jack Halpain never met a stranger!

He grew up in Snyder, Texas the second son of a pack of four boys and eventually a little sister and two more brothers. Jack said at school he got along well with most all his peers and spent his time fist-fighting the rest of them. It is not doubtful.

At the age of fourteen he lost his father to a tragic accident. Vivian, his mom, widowed with a passel of kids, all survived because there wasn’t another option. Jack liked to boast that his mother, who lived to ninety-one, crossed the Red River in a covered wagon and later the ocean…in a jet airplane. After an illustrious football career in junior high and a couple of years doing high school he gave it all up …. and all his lucrative side hustles, to join the Navy where there was some real action. Of course there was also his car racing, motorcycle racing, and officiating and promotion of same; and owning his own racetrack and a Harley Dealership …… and then there were his airplanes; a couple of which he assembled in his backyard. In Jack’s spare time he put out fires during his 31 years with the Lubbock Fire Department ….. and somewhere about that time preached a few sermons.

His proudest moments were being a family man. He was always there for his family when he was taking us somewhere else …… Disneyland, Yellowstone, Alaska…..There were similar trips for all his progeny and families. When he wasn’t hauling family around in his RV he was tooling around on his motorcycle along with one of his brothers going to an air show or wherever ….. somewhere. Later him and Mary traveled to many, many places together which she will hold close to her heart and cherish forever.

A true road warrior, Jack said at his wife’s funeral that he took her to 37 states in the lower 48 and Alaska and Europe. And added, for a woman who never wanted to travel further than the nearest Walmart, he was pretty proud of that.

But life goes on and it’s apt to say that Jack finished his earthly journey living in an RV …. only traveling by company car a few days a week, often in the middle of the night, at his courier job. His boss said she was cognizant of his age, but he was always anxious to go and could drive circles around all her other drivers and sobbed a little as she spoke.

We all loved him and will miss him greatly! He has definitely left a mark and a hole in our hearts, but we are confident when he reached those pearly gates of heaven, he was told, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful and I will set you over much.” – Matthew 25:21

A graveside gathering will be held on Friday, October 2, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the Resthaven Cemetery grounds.

Jack Andrew Halpain will be remembered by those who knew him and by the many family members named in his life. His memory remains with them through the generations of his family.