Dr. William Jackson "Jack" Rushing III

1950 - 2025

Dr. William Jackson "Jack" Rushing III passed away on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at the age of 75, from complications related to Parkinson's Disease. He was a distinguished professor and art historian of Native American art and American modernism at the University of Oklahoma for 12 years before retiring as emeritus in 2020. Jack was born on April 6, 1950, in Columbus, GA, to Colonel William Jackson Rushing II of Lott, TX and Robena Leona Rushing (née Hodgson) of Plasterco, VA. As an army family, they moved extensively before settling in Austin, TX in the early 1960s. Graduating from Lanier High School in 1968, Jack, ever the thespian that he was, performed on many stages as a cab driver, radio DJ, restaurant, bar, and art gallery manager before returning to college in 1978.
Jack earned his bachelor's ('82), master's ('84), and doctoral ('88) degrees in art history at the University of Texas at Austin. While a student at UT-Austin, Jack met and married his extraordinary wife of 41 years, Julie Rushing (née Snyder). Together they had two sons, Grayson and Samuel, who were his pride and joy. He went on to teach at the University of Maine, the University of Missouri-St. Louis, the University of Houston, the University of Texas at Dallas and beginning in 2008, the University of Oklahoma as the Edwin B. Adkins Presidential Professor of Art History and Mary Lou Milner Carver Chair in Native American Art. Over his career, Jack published numerous books, exhibition catalogues and articles, was a Guggenheim Fellow and the recipient of the Native American Art Studies Association's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021. He was a passionate scholar, colleague and mentor.
A lover of animals of all shapes and sizes, the Rushing family house was blessed by many pets over the years. From a young age, Jack was passionate about music. Not much of a musician himself, as he would be the first to admit, Jack amassed an enormous catalogue of vinyl records spanning genres and a plethora of musical experiences, from seeing Jimi Hendrix in concert before he ever released an album, to interviewing Simon & Garfunkel as his high school newspaper's music critic. Dating back to his time working in the bar and restaurant industry, Jack had a passion for good wine and food, which he shared with his wife, so much so that they spent their honeymoon touring vineyards in Napa Valley. Jack was a lover of sports, namely the Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, and his beloved Texas Longhorns. Even after calling Oklahoma home for many years, Jack took great pride in being a Texan. Politically active since the 1960s and a humanist, Jack believed in the dignity of all people.
Preceded in death by his parents and brother-in-law Carroll Petrosky, Jack is survived by his wife Julie of Norman, OK, sons Grayson Rushing (Hannah) of Norman, OK, Samuel Rushing (Madelyn Watkins) of Chicago, IL, sisters Diana Rushing (Lewis Rosenthal) of Taos, NM, Mary Petrosky of Burnet, TX, sisters-in-law Betsy McWhorter (David) of Brownsville, TX, Cheryl Snyder (Amelia Giles) of Van Alstyne, TX, Diana Snyder of Austin, TX, nieces Amanda Brandenburg (Lucas) and daughter Robyn of Burnet, TX, Emily Komarek (Jim) and son Tobin of Salina, KS, nephews Chris Petrosky (Bonnie) and son Nolan of New Braunfels, TX, Troy McWhorter (Kathy) and daughters Maddy and Lilly of Harlingen, TX and Colin McWhorter of Pflugerville, TX. Special thank you to his caregiver, Valentine Umeh. Jack's legacy continues through more friends than can be named and his family would like to extend their most profound gratitude to all who were apart of his journey.
A graveside service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at Clover Hill Cemetery in Lott, TX. A memorial will be held at a later date in Oklahoma City.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the American Indian College Fund, the Oklahoma Parkinson's Alliance, the Humane Society, or a charitable organization of your choosing.
Online condolences may be shared at www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com.