Jack E. Harrison's Obituary
Funeral services are scheduled for Jack Harrison 2:00 PM Friday, June 3, 2022 at Restland Funeral Home. A visitation will be held 6-8 PM Thursday, June 2, 2022 at Restland Funeral Home on Greenville Ave. in Dallas. Mr. Harrison was born August 18, 1935 and passed away May 25, 2022. He was 86 years old.
Mr. Harrison graduated from Huntington (Texas) High School in 1953 and attended Sam Houston State University from 1953 — 1954; North Texas State University in Denton from 1960 — 1965 and SMU in Dallas from 1970 – 1971.
He was employed for approximately forty years in the broadcasting industry. His career began in 1954 at KTRE Radio in Lufkin, Texas. In 1955, KTRE-TV, Channel 9 signed on the air, and he remained with the dual operations as a staff announcer and anchor until 1957.
In 1957 he moved to KRLD Radio and TV, Channel 4 in Dallas. Initially, he served as a staff announcer - anchor until 1965 when he moved into management and thereafter held various supervisory positions.
KRLD Radio and Television (both CBS affiliates at that time) were sold to different companies In 1970. KRLD-TV was renamed KDFW-TV, and Mr. Harrison remained with the television station until 1982.
In 1972 he became KDFW-TV’s Promotion Director, a position he held until 1978. He served the final four years of his tenure as Program Director, leaving the station in 1982 for another station owned by the Times Mirror Company.
From 1982 — 1988 he was Vice-President and General Manager of WVTM-TV, Channe! 13, the NBC Affiliate in Birmingham, Alabama. In 1988 he moved to yet another station owned by Times Mirror, KTBC-TV, Channel 7, at that time the CBS Affiliate in Austin, Texas. He retired in late 1993 as President and CEO of KTBC-TV. Since retirement, Mr. Harrison lived in Dallas.
During his long career in broadcasting, he served on a number of non-profit boards in Alabama and Texas.
He was a member of the President's Advisory Council of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama and later was a member of the College of Communication Advisory Council at the University of Texas, Austin.
He served on the boards of United Way, Boy Scouts, YMCA, M.A.D.D., Crimestoppers, Urban League and others in Austin. He served two terms as President of the Capital Area Food Bank board of directors.
In 1992 he was presented the City of Austin’s Distinguished Service Award by the city’s mayor for his community service.
During his career, Mr. Harrison was a member of several broadcast industry organizations and served two terms as President of the Austin Association of Broadcasters.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, the former Helen Bass of Lufkin; He is survived by three daughters, Jacqueline Sandfield of Dallas, Theresa Wilcox of Pflugerville and Elena Harrison of Dallas and by two sons-in law, Byron Sandfield of Dallas and Lee Wilcox of Pflugerville. Survivors also include five grandchildren, Jacob Brown and wife Lisa, Samantha Copeland and husband Jamie, Zachary Sandfield and wife Breana Sylvester, Aaron Sandfield, and Spencer Sandfield; and by three great grandchildren, Paige Copeland, Presley Copeland and Oscar Sandfield.
In place of flowers, donations to the Dallas Food Bank will be appreciated.
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