Jack Parks, 21, was only five weeks into his senior year at Texas Tech when he died in a car accident on Sept. 19, 2024.
“Everybody knew Jack, and Jack knew everybody,” said Jori Parks, Jack’s mother.
The Parks family is from Paducah, a small town in the Texas Panhandle. While Jack only graduated from high school with 22 people, one of those 22 followed him to Tech.
Texas Tech masters student studying athletic training from Paducah Tate Hutchinson attends the Techsan Memorial at Memorial Circle Oct. 9, 2025.
Jake Cooper
“I want people to know how selfless he (Jack) was as a person and how highly anyone that met him would speak about him and his character,” said Tate Hutchinson, a graduate athletic training student and friend of Jack’s. “He was a driving leader in anything he did, and he was involved in everything from whenever we were classmates together in high school — never had a task that he wouldn’t give 100 percent, and never said no to a task even if he didn’t want to do it. He’s the type of person you’d always want to be around.”
Jack was awarded an honorary diploma from Tech during the Spring 2025 graduation.
“He loved Tech because I love Tech. I can still feel him everywhere,” Jori Parks said.
Every year during Tech’s Homecoming Week, the Techsan Memorial is hosted in remembrance of students, faculty, staff and alumni who have passed in the previous year.
It was at Thursday’s Techsan Memorial that Jack was memorialized.
“The pain of loss is great. We all share in your sorrow and are thankful the Texas Tech family has been blessed to share part of life’s journey with those we honor tonight,” said Tech President Lawrence Schovanec.
Fifteen students, along with faculty, staff and alumni, were honored this year, and each will have their name engraved on a plaque and displayed in the Lew Jones Memorial Lounge in the Student Union Building.
As each late Red Raider’s name was read, a red or black balloon was released in their honor.
“We are all standing on common ground. Whether recent grads or longtime alumni, our fellow Texans walked these same sidewalks, spent time in these buildings and shared many of the same experiences we all have enjoyed as Red Raiders,” said Curt Langford, president and CEO of the Tech Alumni Association.
Texas Tech Matador Singers perform at the Techsan Memorial at Memorial Circle Oct. 9, 2025.
Jake Cooper
As the Tech Matador Singers performed, the sun slowly peeked through the clouds and the steady flow of Pfluger Fountain surrounding Memorial Circle could be heard.
One individual, Barney Adams, has attended the event for 20 years in honor of his daughter, Brooke Adams, who was starting her sophomore year at Tech as a business and accounting student when she died in August 2010.
Barney Adams and his wife, Kandy, are both 1975 Tech graduates. Barney Adams said he comes to the memorial every year for the families who are not able to attend.
“(I hope people) reflect on the cherished memories that they can have at Tech. What I’m seeing a lot of times now, a lot of people started pouring their ashes of their child who died out here in the (Memorial) Circle,” Adams said.
At the end of the event, the Administration Building bell rang 23 times, reminding attendees of the 1923 founding of the university.