Jad Mazen Zeidan

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Jad Mazen Zeidan, age 32, of League City, TX, who departed this life on Friday, August 15, 2025, peacefully at his home.

Jad was born on January 4, 1993 in Houston, TX to Mazen Zeidan and Kimberly Fontenot. He grew up with his brother Ramzy Zeidan in League City, TX, a suburb of Houston, where he developed lifelong values of kindness, faith, and love, along with a quick wit and big heart.

Jad attended Clear Creek High School, where he was an all-district member of his Varsity football team and voted "most talkative" by his senior class. After graduation, Jad went to Texas State University, where he was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, earning his bachelor's degree in Finance, with a minor in Military Studies. During his time at Texas State, he played Rugby and was a dedicated member of the Reserve Officers' Training Corp, graduating from his University's ROTC program as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army. He went on to be a dedicated servant to the United States as an officer in the US Army Reserve.

Alongside of his service to his country, Jad became a successful restaurateur. Learning the ropes by managing his father's long-lasting Galveston, TX restaurant, the Mediterranean Chef, he opened his own restaurant in Friendswood, TX, in 2018 proudly called Jado'z Grill House ("Jado" after his family nickname, with the "Z" short for his surname "Zeidan"). Jado'z was a local success, with Jad supporting many local Friendswood initiatives as a member of the city's Chamber of Commerce.

Jad was already planning the next phase of his career, recently joining the Clear Lake High School teaching and coaching staff, to help teach special education classes and help coach the football team.

Beyond Jad's career, he was known for his love of spending time with his family – from running the restaurant alongside of his dad, to going to church or the movies with his mom, to watching LSU football with his stepdad, to traveling to see his brother in California and his family in Lebanon. He loved talking about Mario Bros with his nephew, and loved spending time in his family's village in Lebanon, where he did not allow language barriers to limit his connection with both his immediate and extended family. Jad thrived in social settings, and one of his favorite events every year was the annual family crawfish boil. Jad loved picking up the phone and calling his friends and family, and he would regularly check in on everyone from close loved ones to acquaintances. His passion for Houston sports (particularly the Houston Texans) was infectious. His love of his country was visible to every person he met. His warm heart was felt by those who knew him well and those he met for the first time equally, and his creative, humorous, and witty personality cheered up everyone in his vicinity.

Jad Mazen Zeidan will be survived by his father Mazen Zeidan; mother Kimberly Fontenot and stepfather Brent Fontenot; brother Ramzy Zeidan and family; stepsiblings Brent Fontenot Jr. and family, Brooke Wagner and family; grandmother Chafika Boureslan Zeidan (Em Mazen); grandfather Paul Adkins and family; uncles Bassam Zeidan and family, Safwan Zeidan and family, Mouin Zeidan and family; aunts Rabiha Zeidan Ghanem and family, Mounia Zeidan and family; uncle Billy Adkins; his cousins in Lebanon, the U.S, Canada, Australia, and the Middle East; his immediate families; Omar Zeidan and family, Wajdi Zeidan, Zouheir Zeidan and family, Hassan Zeidan and family.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, August 23, 2025 at 10:30am CT. A funeral will be held on Saturday, August 23, 2025 at 11am CT. Both services will be at Carnes Funeral Home (3100 Gulf Fwy, Texas City, TX 77591).

The family asks that donations be made in Jad's name to St. Mary of the Expectation Catholic Church (https://saintmcc.org/give) or the Houston Zoo (https://www.houstonzoo.org/support/)

Jad's presence brought joy and love to all who knew him. Though gone from this world, his spirit will live on in the hearts and memories of his family and friends forever.