Roll Call Tribute

Published in Houston Chronicle on April 5, 2013

John Perry "Jack" Pardee
JOHN PERRY "JACK" Pardee, age 76, passed away on the 1st of April 2013. He was born on the 19th of April 1936 in Exira, Iowa, and was the youngest of seven children. Jack is survived by his wife of 56 years, Phyllis; and their five children and their children's spouses: Steven Pardee; Judee Peterson and husband Bruce; Anne Pardee; Susan Brown and husband Scott; and Ted Pardee and wife Elizabeth. Jack also was the proud grandfather of twelve: Trevor Pardee, Sarah Peterson, Elizabeth Peterson, Jake Peterson, Matthew Brown, Kelly Brown, Madeline Brown, Caroline Brown, Chase Brown, Ellie Pardee, Payton Pardee and Luke Pardee. Jack was the youngest son of Earl and Lameda Pardee, and is also survived by his brother Bob Pardee.
The Pardee family moved to West Texas in the mid-1940s where Jack attended Christoval High School and played six man football. Jack scored 57 touchdowns for the town's regional six-man champions during the 1952 season. After graduation, he went on to Texas A & M University where he played both linebacker and fullback for the Aggies, enduring Coach Bear Bryant's infamous training camp in Junction, Texas and winning all-conference, all-america and academic all-america honors while at A & M. He was also a member of the Corps of Cadets while at Texas A & M. Jack was drafted into the NFL by the Los Angeles Rams in 1957 as the 14th overall player chosen. He played for the Rams from 1957 until 1970, missing only one season while he received treatment for Melanoma. Jack was traded to the Washington Redskins in 1970 in the multi-player trade, orchestrated by former LA Rams Coach, George Allen. This blockbuster trade was the first of its kind, for veteran players that later became known as the "over-the-hill gang". Jack played for Coach Allen for two more seasons with the Redskins, playing his last professional football game in the 1973 Super Bowl against Miami. In 16 years as an NFL Linebacker, Jack was named to the 1963 All-NFL team and the 1971 All-NFC Defensive team.
With his playing days behind him, Jack served as an assistant coach for George Allen in Washington before going on as Head Coach the World Football League's Florida Blazers (1974), the Head Coach of the Chicago Bears (1975-77), the Head Coach of the Washington Redskins (1978-80) and the San Diego Chargers as defensive coordinator (1981) and in 1984-85, returned as Head Coach of the run-and-shoot Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League, winning USFL coach of the year honors in 1984. The Houston Gamblers were sold to Donald Trump and moved to New Jersey, merging with the New Jersey Generals before the league went bankrupt after winning its anti-trust lawsuit with the NFL. After the USFL disbanded, Jack coached at the University of Houston from 1987 through 1989 where his quarterback Andre Ware won the 1989 Heisman Trophy. From 1990-1994, Jack returned to the NFL as the Head Coach of the Houston Oilers and took them to the playoffs in four consecutive seasons. Jack finished his coaching career in 1995 as Head Coach of the Birmingham Barracudas, an expansion team from the Canadian Football League. Jack remains the only coach to helm a team in the NCAA, the National Football League, the United States Football League, the World Football League, and the Canadian Football League. Jack was named NFL coach of the year by The Associated Press in 1979, WFL Coach of the year in 1974, USFL Coach of the year in 1984, and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
After retiring from football he moved back to the country and became a full time cattle rancher and full-time Grandpa, living in Gause, Texas.
Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from two until five o'clock in the afternoon on Sunday, the 7th of March, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston, where a recitation of the Holy Rosary is to commence at four o'clock.
A Mass of Christian Burial is to be offered at ten o'clock in the morning on Monday, the 8th of April, at St. Michael Catholic Church, 1801 Sage Road in Houston, where the Rev. Msgr. Frank H. Rossi, Pastor, is to serve as celebrant.
As a lasting tribute, Jack and his family have established the Jack Pardee Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund at the University of Houston in order to help student-athletes who might not otherwise have the chance to earn a college degree and secure their futures the way that Jack did. If you wish to remember Jack Pardee, kindly consider a contribution to the University of Houston, in care of Cougar Pride, 3100 Cullen Blvd., Suite 2004, Houston, TX, 77204-6004. Checks may be made payable to the University of Houston, with a notation on the memo line acknowledging the Jack Pardee Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund.
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From KBTX
Posted: Mon 6:32 PM, Apr 01, 2013
Updated: Tue 9:16 AM, Apr 02, 2013

Junction Boy Jack Pardee Passes Away

BRYAN, Texas -- Aggie legend Jack Pardee has passed away after a long battle with cancer today at age 76.

Pardee played for Texas A&M from 1954-1956 before going on to a long pro career with the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Redskins.

Pardee's family moved to Texas from Iowa in the mid-1940s so his father, Earl, could receive treatment for rheumatoid arthritis in Christoval's mineral baths. Pardee scored 57 touchdowns for the town's regional six-man champions in 1952 and then played three seasons for Texas A&M, enduring coach Bear Bryant's infamous training camp in Junction in 1954 and winning all-Southwest Conference honors in 1956. He then played for the Rams and Redskins, with a two-year break in 1965-66, from 1957 through 1972, winning NFC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1972.

He went on to coach the World Football League's Florida Blazers (1974), the Chicago Bears (1975-77) and Redskins (1978-80) and, in 1984-85, the run-and-shoot Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League, winning coach of the year honors in 1984. After the USFL disbanded, he succeeded Bill Yeoman at UH, where quarterback Andre Ware won the 1989 Heisman Trophy, from 1987 through 1989.

In 1990, he returned to the NFL with the Oilers, leading the team to the playoffs in his first four seasons before losing his job following a 1-9 start in 1994. His career NFL coaching record is 87-77.

Pardee is a member of the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame.