Obituary for John A "Jack" Pacheco
John Allen (Jack) Pacheco, 73, who helped shape national education policy and who advised numerous political candidates at the local, state, and national levels, died on March 3 at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Plymouth.
While he had been ill with pulmonary and coronary disease, he recently became infected with the Covid-19 virus, and passed peacefully with his family by his side.
A lifelong Plymouth resident, Jack was born on April 28, 1947 to John and Loretta (Cabral) Pacheco. He attended Plymouth Public Schools and graduated in 1965 from Plymouth-Carver Regional High School, where he excelled on the school’s junior varsity and varsity basketball teams. Jack graduated from Bridgewater State College in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and education, with a focus on American history and politics. He earned his Master of Arts degree from Bridgewater in 1971. He demonstrated an early interest in public service and politics, and graduated as his class president.
He returned to Plymouth and began teaching history in the Plymouth Public Schools. Though he left the classroom in 1979, education remained a focus, as he joined the Governmental Services staff at the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) in Boston. His expertise in the areas of policy, political organizing, and election strategy helped MTA members in every community become more skilled at advocating for the needs of their students and elevating the economic status of all public K-12 and higher education employees.
In 1991, his work led him to join the staff of the National Education Association (NEA) in Washington, DC, the national affiliate of MTA, where Jack joined the Government Relations staff as a pollster and political organizer, helping the 2.3 million-member union become increasingly effective in shaping national education policy through bipartisan legislative efforts.
Jack became NEA’s national political director in 1996, working with state affiliates to help elect NEA-endorsed candidates for governorships, Congress and the presidency. He developed close working relationships with other unions and politicians throughout the nation, and was renowned for his encyclopedic knowledge of the political process.
In 2001, he married Mary Elizabeth (ME) Teasley, who had been NEA’s Government Relations director, and they retired to Jack’s childhood home in Plymouth. Jack founded Overlook Strategies, a political consulting firm, and consulted with the Democratic Governors Association, numerous congressional candidates, and Senator John F. Kerry. In 2004, he served as national labor coordinator for Kerry’s presidential campaign.
Jack and ME began second careers in real estate and founded Seagate Properties, which has become a premier real estate firm in Plymouth and surrounding communities. They enjoyed winter stays on Sanibel Island, Florida, their home away from home, and took a trip to Italy filled with shopping and fine food.
Jack and ME loved spending time with family, and Jack reveled in time spent with his children and as the proud “Papa” of his grandchildren. Jack is survived by his son John Marc, a resident of Plymouth who operates his own political consulting firm, his wife Heather, and their daughters Catherine and Avril; his daughter Caryn, also a resident of Plymouth who is a principal with Seagate Properties, and her daughters Chelsea and Maisy; his sister Judy (Pacheco) and her husband Michael Meuse, and their children Pamela, Michelle, and Anne-Marie, all of Florida; and beloved cousins Dorothy Zupperoli and Donna Evangelho.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the family will schedule a memorial service at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jack’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
While he had been ill with pulmonary and coronary disease, he recently became infected with the Covid-19 virus, and passed peacefully with his family by his side.
A lifelong Plymouth resident, Jack was born on April 28, 1947 to John and Loretta (Cabral) Pacheco. He attended Plymouth Public Schools and graduated in 1965 from Plymouth-Carver Regional High School, where he excelled on the school’s junior varsity and varsity basketball teams. Jack graduated from Bridgewater State College in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and education, with a focus on American history and politics. He earned his Master of Arts degree from Bridgewater in 1971. He demonstrated an early interest in public service and politics, and graduated as his class president.
He returned to Plymouth and began teaching history in the Plymouth Public Schools. Though he left the classroom in 1979, education remained a focus, as he joined the Governmental Services staff at the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) in Boston. His expertise in the areas of policy, political organizing, and election strategy helped MTA members in every community become more skilled at advocating for the needs of their students and elevating the economic status of all public K-12 and higher education employees.
In 1991, his work led him to join the staff of the National Education Association (NEA) in Washington, DC, the national affiliate of MTA, where Jack joined the Government Relations staff as a pollster and political organizer, helping the 2.3 million-member union become increasingly effective in shaping national education policy through bipartisan legislative efforts.
Jack became NEA’s national political director in 1996, working with state affiliates to help elect NEA-endorsed candidates for governorships, Congress and the presidency. He developed close working relationships with other unions and politicians throughout the nation, and was renowned for his encyclopedic knowledge of the political process.
In 2001, he married Mary Elizabeth (ME) Teasley, who had been NEA’s Government Relations director, and they retired to Jack’s childhood home in Plymouth. Jack founded Overlook Strategies, a political consulting firm, and consulted with the Democratic Governors Association, numerous congressional candidates, and Senator John F. Kerry. In 2004, he served as national labor coordinator for Kerry’s presidential campaign.
Jack and ME began second careers in real estate and founded Seagate Properties, which has become a premier real estate firm in Plymouth and surrounding communities. They enjoyed winter stays on Sanibel Island, Florida, their home away from home, and took a trip to Italy filled with shopping and fine food.
Jack and ME loved spending time with family, and Jack reveled in time spent with his children and as the proud “Papa” of his grandchildren. Jack is survived by his son John Marc, a resident of Plymouth who operates his own political consulting firm, his wife Heather, and their daughters Catherine and Avril; his daughter Caryn, also a resident of Plymouth who is a principal with Seagate Properties, and her daughters Chelsea and Maisy; his sister Judy (Pacheco) and her husband Michael Meuse, and their children Pamela, Michelle, and Anne-Marie, all of Florida; and beloved cousins Dorothy Zupperoli and Donna Evangelho.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the family will schedule a memorial service at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jack’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.