John William Lade

John William "Don" Lade passed away peacefully in his sleep on April 2nd, 2025. He was born in McLennan County, Texas to parents O.R. and Eva Moses Lade on January 13th of 1933. He grew up the middle child of two sisters in Waco, TX and eventually went off to college at Stephen F Austin in Nacogdoches. It was there that he played basketball and met Nelda Faye Wright, who he later married. They settled in Fort Worth, where they both were teachers and had one daughter.
Don began his teaching career as an Art teacher at Forest Oaks Junior High School in Fort Worth ISD. He later moved on to Poly High School in the same district, where he taught Biology, which was the subject he most enjoyed. In 1968, Trinity High School was built in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD. He taught Biology the first year the school opened and for many consecutive years. He then made the decision to attend graduate school to get a master's degree in counseling, and left Trinity to work with a class of at-risk students at North Euless Elementary. He eventually went back to Trinity for a year while his daughter was a junior there. She was never able to share her last name with anyone, whether teacher, staff or student without them telling her what a great man her dad was, and how much he was loved by all. In 1983, Don began his counseling career at Sam Houston Junior High School in Irving ISD. He retired in 1992, having impacted many, many lives throughout his career. One of his former Trinity high-school students was at his hospital bedside right before he died, which meant the world to Don. One of his closest teacher friends from Sam Houston Junior High checked on him by phone while he was in the hospital. This friend was not able to drive to see him, but Don said that the two of them had an understanding about those things, because they were like brothers. Friends from his neighborhood were there with him at the hospital as well and were constantly checking on him by phone. In 2000, Don moved to Granbury, TX where he made more long-term friendships. His community in Pecan Plantation became like family, caring for each other as family does. Neighbors across the street, next door on both sides, merchants in local stores, bank tellers, and others all looked out for him, as he did for them. His Granbury community was literally a lifesaver to him, from an unintentional stay down at the Brazos River when he was 89, to his most recent ER visits when he was in need at 92. Food and friendship and love were shared by both young and old, and Don was both a grateful recipient and thoughtful giver. He will be missed greatly by friends, family and the community.
If any would like to make donations in his name, he would be honored for you to make them to Cal Farley's Boys Ranch in Amarillo, TX or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Don is preceded in death by his parents, O.R. and Eva Moses Lade, sister Evva May, sister Mickey Perkins, and great-granddaughter Olivia Hardaway. He leaves behind daughter Donna McGraw, grandchildren Brandon McGraw and Kelsey Hardaway,10 great-grandchildren, niece Marie Peel, great-nephew Taylor Peel, great-niece Sydney Peel and numerous longtime friends who loved him.