Jack Alfred Locke

It is with broken hearts that we announce the sudden passing of Jack Alfred Locke of Bastrop, Texas, age 64, who died in a tragic accident on May 9, 2025.

Jack was a loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend. He was known for his big smile, sense of humor, infectious laugh, big heart, love of his family, and his unique fashion sense (which he called his “giddy-ups”). His unexpected departure leaves a profound emptiness in the lives of all who knew and loved him.

Jack was born on October 29, 1960 in Lincoln, Nebraska to John and Carla Locke. His father was in the Air Force, so his formative years were spent on the move, including stops in France, Panama, New Mexico, and eventually Texas. It was in Austin, Texas where he met the love of his life, Jennifer, whom he affectionately called “Bunny.” Together they shared 33 years of marriage and raised two phenomenal children, Savannah and True, who called him “Papa.” All of their friends called him “Papa Locke.”

In the early years of their marriage, Jack and Jennifer bred and showed Great Danes. They were charter members of the Heart of Texas Great Dane Club. After settling in Bastrop, Texas, Jack started his own dog grooming business, Jack’s Doghouse, which he sadly lost in the Bastrop Complex Fire. At the time of his death, Jack was a supervisor at Oldcastle APG in Elgin, Texas. He took great pride in his career and cared deeply for his work family.

Jack loved music—something he passed on to his children. In his 50s, he surprised us all by learning to play the bass guitar. In addition to music, he was a loyal Nebraska football fan. He and Jennifer traveled to Nebraska for a game every fall. And of course, he would wear one of his giddy-ups. Perhaps his biggest passion was motorcycles. He was in the process of restoring two vintage bikes, one of which is sitting in their entryway.

Jack was an incredibly participatory father who loved his family fiercely. In the words of his daughter: “My father was a unique cheerleader. I will never have another person like him in my life. He came to every event my brother and I participated in. He always cheered the loudest and danced the hardest. He indulged all of our dreams no matter how big or small. My father went out of his way to build me up when I fell down. He taught me what it means to truly be one’s self, and I loved who he was. ‘Be brave, little girl!’ he would say. I know that is what he would say now.”

Jack always embraced his children’s hobbies, spending countless hours skateboarding with his son, who shares the following: “My Papa was my True absolute Best Friend in this whole world. There wasn’t a thing I could say or do that would have changed my father’s love for me. I was his Sunny Boy, and he was My Big Buddy. With all of this being so sudden and overwhelming, I think about our last few conversations leading up to the tragedy. Papa would always answer his phone calls from me the same way, every time. ‘SUNNY BOY!’ He would always be so cheerful with it, too. Our last conversation took place while I was at the gym, and I told him, ‘Papa, I love calling you all the time because I know what you’re going to say each time.’ He said, ‘And what’s that?’ I was walking around the track, and I said to him, ‘You’re always gonna say Sunny Boy!’ I hear him now telling me to take care of My Mama and to hold down the fort. So that is what I shall do, Papa.”

Jack overcame many hardships as a young man, but he never let that hold him back or define his legacy. He was always determined to do better, be better, and provide better for everyone he knew. We are fortunate that all his love did not end on May 9th. It carries on in each of us because we had him in our lives. If he was writing this, he would end by saying, “Peace out.”

Jack is predeceased by his parents, John Robert Locke and Carla Saunders Locke. He is survived by his loving wife, Jennifer Lewis Locke, his children Savannah Locke and True Locke, his siblings Jean Locke, Jana (Curtis) Hankins, Joi (Kenny) Solt, Jeri (Leonard) Lamb, John Albert (Jennie) Locke, Charlie Otero, Danny (Tina) Otero, and Carmen (Leonard) Montoya, and his best dog ever, Mookie.

A celebration of Jack’s life will take place at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Wild Tunes (https://wildtunes.org), or the family simply asks that you hold your loved ones a little tighter today in Jack’s memory.