Otto Jackie-Don Schacht '02
1974 - 2024
Otto Jackie-Don (JD) Schacht of Plainview, Texas, passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends at the home of his mother in Ponder, Texas on Thursday, May 2, 2024, after a short battle with cancer.
Jackie-Don was born May 13, 1974, in Warrensburg, MO. To his parents Madonna Jack and Otto B. Schacht. After graduating from Levelland High School he completed an associate degree at South Plains College in Levelland.
Jackie-Don loved sports and thanks to the nagging of his “big sis”, he excelled at everything other than basketball, which she could never get him to pursue. He played competitive baseball and basketball in high school and was a walk on for the Lubbock Christian University baseball team for two years. Eventually the Aggies called, and he answered the call proudly graduating with a degree in psychology from Texas A & M University. After graduating he served as a probation officer in Brazos County for several years.
Jackie-Don was a scholar at heart and in 2002 graduated from South Texas College of Law in Houston. While in law school he Chaired the South Texas College of Law Board of Advocates and was the Braxton Craven, Jr. Memorial Moot Court Champion in 2002. After graduation he served as Adjunct Professor of Advocacy at the law school from 2002 – 2009. His love for law and for competition compelled him to become a coach for the South Texas College of Law moot court team. His influence on many of those young lawyers can still be seen today. Jackie-Don was also a coach for the August Rendig Jr. National Products Liability Moot Court Competition from 2006 – 2008. In 2008, he and his dear friend, Wade Vandiver led their moot court team to the school’s 100th National Championship.
Jackie-Don joined the law firm of Eggleston and Briscoe in Houston (2002 – 2013) later becoming a partner. While there he was voted a Texas Rising Star among his peers.
Craving the open spaces, blue skies, and his family he returned to his West Texas roots, where he worked for Eco Drip in Floydada for several years. Like his dad Jackie-Don had a voracious appetite for reading and he and his dad often challenged each other to see who could read the most books, the fastest.
One of his greatest joys in life was annually attending the College World Series in Omaha, NE. It was there he met fellow sports fans that became some of his closest and dearest friends, several of whom made trips to Texas to see him in his last days.
Jackie-Don was a passionate person who connected with each person he met. He had a deep faith in his God who he shared with all he encountered. Communicating, telling stories, writing poetry and being with family and friends were his favorite past times. His passion for all things baseball and Aggie was limitless. One of his friends summed Jackie-Don up best in saying, he made every person feel like they mattered.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Fritz Otto and Eleanor Schacht, Flora Lee and Durward Jack and his father, Otto Byron Schacht. He is survived by his mother, Madonna Schacht, his brother, Fritz-Nelson Schacht, his nephew Sam Otto-Nelson, his “sister”, Jo Bidwell, nephew Josh Bidwell (Caitlin) and Lara McNutt (Micah), a great-niece and nephew, and a host of family and friends.
Jackie-Don was fortunate that he was able to enjoy his last days celebrating his life with many friends and family from across the country and he is grateful for the visits, prayers, laughs and stories that he enjoyed with everyone.