John Daniel “Pete” Tackett, 88, died Thursday, September 11, 2014 in The Woodlands, Texas. Mr. Tackett was a longtime resident of Zephyr and Brownwood, Texas from his retirement in 1982 through 2013.
Services will be held Saturday, September 20 at 10:00 AM at Davis-Morris Funeral Home. Visitation will be held Friday, September 19 from 6 – 8 PM at the funeral home.
Mr. Tackett was born December 5, 1925 in Lamesa, Texas to John and Missouri (Zoura) Tackett. He attended Bangs High School and served as Radioman First Class in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific during World War II where he participated in the first wave invasion of Okinawa.
After his return from military service, he graduated from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering where he was inducted into Tau Beta Pi, the national engineering honors society.
Mr. Tackett served as an engineering design and construction executive in the petroleum production, refining, petrochemical and agrichemical industries. During the 1950s and 1960s he held positions of increasing responsibility for the American Oil Company’s (Amoco) production, refining, chemicals and pipeline affiliates. Subsequently, Mr. Tackett served as Manager of Projects for the global engineering consulting firm of CE-Crest Engineering as a project executive responsible for the design and construction management of natural gas, chemical and petrochemical facilities in the U.S., North Sea, and the Middle East. He later served as an executive for the agrichemical firm CF Industries. After conclusion of his engineering career, during the 1990s, Mr. Tackett was co-owner of Four Stars Motors of Henrietta, Texas with his close friend and partner, Dr. Robert Forrester, who continues to own and operate the business.
Mr. Tackett is survived by two sons and a daughter from his marriage to Nelda Jean Sessions Tackett, and their families. They include Bruce A. and Lynne Tackett of Little Elm, Texas; Steven R. Tackett and Ann Hobson of Frisco, Texas and Ron and Ann Tomon of The Woodlands, Texas. Seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren also survive him.
He is predeceased in death by his parents John and Missouri Tackett, two sisters and two brothers, Mary Frances Glade, Margie McGinnis, Bill Tackett and Tom Tackett.
Mr. Tackett was married to Nelda Jean Sessions Tackett from 1952 until her death in 1977. He was married to Wilma Yazell from 1979 until her death in 2013.
