Jack Hightower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jack Hightower
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| Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas |
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| In office December 7, 1988 – January 2, 1996 |
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| Appointed by | Bill Clements |
| Preceded by | Barbara Culver |
| Succeeded by | Greg Abbott |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 13th district |
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| In office January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1985 |
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| Preceded by | Bob Price |
| Succeeded by | Beau Boulter |
| Member of the Texas Senate from the 23rd district |
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| In office 1965–1967 |
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| Preceded by | George C. Moffett |
| Succeeded by | Oscar Mauzy |
| Member of the Texas Senate from the 30th district |
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| In office 1967–1974 |
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| Preceded by | Andrew J. Rogers |
| Succeeded by | Ray Farabee |
| Member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 82nd district |
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| In office 1953–1955 |
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| Preceded by | 82-1: Pearce Johnson 82-2: Johnnie B. Rogers |
| Succeeded by | William S. Heatly |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jack English Hightower
September 6, 1926 Memphis, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | August 3, 2013 (aged 86) Austin, Texas, U.S. |
| Resting place | Texas State Cemetery (Austin, Texas) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Colleen Ward
(m. 1950) |
| Children | 3 daughters |
| Relatives | Drew Brees (step-grandson) |
| Alma mater | Baylor University (BA) Baylor Law School (LLB) University of Virginia (LLM) |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1944–1946 |
Jack English Hightower (September 6, 1926 – August 3, 2013) was an American politician and judge from Texas. He was a member of the Democratic Party. He served as a U.S. Representative for Texas for five terms, from 1975 to 1985. Later, he became a Justice on the Supreme Court of Texas.
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Early Life and Military Service
Jack Hightower was born in Memphis, Texas, on September 6, 1926. His father, Walter Thomas Hightower, owned a greenhouse, and his mother, Floy Edna (English) Hightower, was a homemaker. During World War II, Jack served in the United States Navy for two years, from 1944 to 1946.
Education and Law Career
After his military service, Hightower went to Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1949. In 1951, he received his law degree (an LL.B.) from Baylor Law School. Many years later, in 1992, he earned another law degree (an LL.M.) from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia.
In 1951, he became a lawyer in Texas. Right away, he started working as the district attorney for the 46th Texas Judicial District, which was based in Vernon, Texas. A district attorney is a lawyer who works for the government and brings legal cases against people accused of crimes. He held this job for ten years, from 1951 to 1961.
Political Journey
Jack Hightower began his political career in the Texas House of Representatives, serving from 1953 to 1955.
In 1961, he tried to become a U.S. Representative but did not win that election. From 1965 to 1974, while still living in Vernon, Hightower served in the Texas Senate. He also attended the important 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
In 1974, Hightower ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives against Bob Price, a Republican who had held the seat for four terms. Hightower won this election. Many Democrats, including Hightower, were elected that year because voters were upset about the Watergate scandal.
Hightower was known as a moderate Democrat, meaning he held views that were not too extreme. His district was mostly rural, covering areas from Amarillo to Wichita Falls. He was reelected four times, largely because he focused on helping the people in his district. However, in 1984, he lost his seat to Republican Beau Boulter. This happened during a time when Ronald W. Reagan was very popular and won the presidency by a lot of votes.
Later Career and Family Life
After leaving Congress in 1985, Hightower continued his public service. He worked as the first assistant attorney general of Texas under Attorney General Jim Mattox until 1987. In 1988, he was elected to the Texas Supreme Court, which is the highest court in Texas.
Later, U.S. President Bill Clinton appointed him to the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. He held this position from 1999 to 2004.
Jack Hightower married Colleen Ward in 1950. They met at Baylor University, where he was studying law and she was studying music. They lived in Austin, Texas, and had three daughters. Colleen passed away in 2015 and is buried next to her husband. Jack Hightower was the step-grandfather of famous NFL quarterback Drew Brees.
Death
Jack Hightower passed away on August 3, 2013, in Austin, Texas. Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson spoke about Hightower, saying that Texas had lost a true champion among its public servants and that the Court had lost a colleague who was a great judge. He is buried at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin.
