Jon David Harrison

Jon David Harrison, 69 of Abilene, passed away on Sunday, March 3, 2019.  Funeral service will be Tuesday, March 5, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at the Beltway Park Baptist Church South Campus, 4009 Beltway South.  Arrangements under the direction of Piersall Funeral Directors, 733 Butternut Street.

Jon was born in Abilene on June 8, 1949. He attended Abilene schools and graduated from Cooper High School in 1968.  Jon played on the Cooper football team and participated in track and field. As a senior at CHS in 1967-68, he was the receiver on the football team that reached the Class 5A state championship. During his athletic career at Cooper, he set several single-season records.

After high school, Jon went to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in Miami, Oklahoma where he was named the offensive MVP in the title game as NEO won the national junior college championship. He was a second team junior college All-American before joining his former high school quarterback, Jack Mildren, at the University of Oklahoma. Jon and Jack teamed up to play a key role in a Thanksgiving Day game against Nebraska, a game that is still referred to by many as the “Game of the Century.”

Until his retirement in 2010, Jon spent the last twenty years of his coaching career at his alma mater, serving as an assistant coach in both football and baseball. He also had the privilege of coaching both of his sons at Cooper. He was the yearbook dedicatee his last year. In 2010 Jon was inducted into the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame, in 2012 to the Cooper High School Hall of Fame, and in 2016 into the NEO Athletic Hall of Fame. He loved football, and football loved him.

While playing and coaching football was Jon’s passion, he loved life and any opportunity to fellowship with his family and friends. Jon loved bird hunting, fishing, and playing golf. Some of his happiest memories included summer vacations at Horn Creek in Colorado where he enjoyed fly fishing, hiking Rainbow Trail, and driving around in the early morning hours hoping to spot some elk. Jon was a true outdoorsman.

In his later years, he spent hours watching his favorite western TV shows, any kind of football, and Texas Ranger baseball.

Jon, or “Grandad” as his grandchildren called him, loved playing with them, tickling them in his chair and playing catch.

Jon is preceded in death by his parents, Lewis and Jess Harrison, and his oldest son, Scott. He is survived by his wife Debbie, son Luke and wife Kristi, grandchildren Elyn and Crew, sister Jo Jackson and husband Glynn, sister Jill Bell and husband Rodger, brother Jack and wife Betty, brother Jim, and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to:

Abilene Cooper Football Booster Club

P.O. Box 6182

Abilene, TX 79608

Condolences may be offered online at www.pbfuneraldirectors.com.