Deeves, John F.

Fr. John Francis “Jack” Deeves, SJ,  82, died Saturday, October 16, 2010 at Medical City Dallas Hospital of a stroke he had the evening before. Fr. Deeves was born in New Orleans, where he graduated from Jesuit High School in 1945. He entered the Society of Jesus in August 1945 and professed his vows two years later. Fr. Deeves attended St. Charles College in Grand Coteau and received his bachelor’s degree in physics from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala., in 1951. He taught high school in Tampa, Fla., for three years before beginning his studies for the priesthood. He was ordained on June 18, 1958, in Mobile, Ala.

Fr. Deeves taught high school in Shreveport before he completed his Jesuit spiritual formation in Auriesville, N.Y., in 1961. He taught high school and community college in El Paso before returning to Tampa. In 1979, Fr. Deeves was assigned to Jesuit College Preparatory in Dallas. He then taught physics and theology at Ursuline Academy, where he most recently served as chaplain.

Fr. Deeves was dedicated to the students at Jesuit College Prep and Ursuline Academy. After he came to Dallas in 1979, his priestly duties included teaching and counseling, as well as performing weddings, funerals and baptisms for students and their families.

“He was always very student-centered and completely at their disposal,” said the Fr. Phil Postell, president of Jesuit. “The girls at Ursuline absolutely loved him.”

In Dallas, Fr. Deeves taught physics at Jesuit until joining the Ursuline faculty in 1993. That same year, Fr. Postell joined Jesuit – and he received frequent reports from his roommate, Fr. Deeves. “I can’t think of a guy who more enjoyed his job as a priest than Jack Deeves,” Fr. Postell said. “It was never a job for him.”

Fr. Deeves also was a skilled mechanic and took care of the vehicles at the private schools. “He could tinker with any car that had a knock in it,” Fr. Postell said. “It was a hobby of his, and he was very good at it.”

Although Fr. Deeves had retired, he remained active on the Ursuline campus. “He was over there every day from 8 o’clock to 4 o’clock,” Fr. Postell said.

Fr. Deeves is survived by a brother, Bill Deeves of New Orleans; and a sister, Lucy Fowlkes of New Orleans.