The Town of Niagara and broader Niagara County community are mourning the loss of Hon. John P. Teixeira Jr., a longtime town justice, former police officer, civic leader and family patriarch whose decades of public service left a lasting mark across Western New York.
Teixeira passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by family at the age of 90.
For generations of Town of Niagara residents, Teixeira was more than simply a judge. He became one of the community’s most recognizable and respected public servants—a man whose career spanned law enforcement, the courts, civic organizations and church leadership while remaining deeply rooted in family and local service.
Born September 21st, 1935, in Luzerne, Pennsylvania, Teixeira was the son of Portuguese immigrants and remained intensely proud of his heritage throughout his life.
He was raised in Swoyerville, Pennsylvania, where he worked summers pouring concrete alongside family members in Niagara Falls before graduating high school in 1953.
That same year he began working at Kimberly-Clark Corporation in Niagara Falls, launching what would become a long and varied professional career. Over time, he worked in multiple divisions of the company while also becoming active in organized labor and employee leadership, serving as vice president of the clerical union and as an officer with the Kimberly-Clark Credit Union.
Teixeira also enlisted in the New York National Guard in 1953 and served honorably until his discharge in 1956.
After corporate restructuring at Kimberly-Clark, he transitioned to General Motors’ Harrison Radiator Division where he started at the bottom before steadily advancing through technical and supervisory positions while continuing his education through Niagara County Community College’s evening program.
But while Teixeira built a successful industrial and technical career, public service would eventually define much of his life.
On September 15th, 1956, he married Jacqueline “Jackie” Tecchio of Niagara Falls. Together, the couple built a marriage that lasted nearly 70 years and raised six children after settling in the Town of Niagara in 1961.
Faith also remained central to his life.
Teixeira and his wife became among the longest-standing members of St. Leo’s Roman Catholic Church in the Town of Niagara, where he served as a Eucharistic minister and longtime member of the Knights of Columbus.
In November 1969, Teixeira entered public safety when he was sworn in as a constable and patrolman with the Town of Niagara Police Department.
Then came the Blizzard of 1977—a moment that helped inspire his next chapter in public service.
Teixeira decided to run for Town Justice, winning election and beginning what would become a remarkable 40-year judicial career.
Over four decades on the bench, he was re-elected to 10 consecutive four-year terms while developing a reputation for fairness, professionalism and dedication to the residents he served.
His influence extended well beyond the courtroom.
Teixeira became deeply involved in both local and statewide judicial organizations, helping found the Niagara County Magistrates Association in 1979 before later serving as its president.
He also served as a director and later treasurer within the New York State Magistrates Association executive committee while continuing annual judicial education and training through the state court system.
Outside the courtroom, Teixeira immersed himself in civic and volunteer work throughout Niagara County.
He was a longtime member of the Town of Niagara Lions Club for more than three decades and helped spearhead numerous community projects including installation of the digital scoreboard at Veterans Park and restoration of Civil War soldier George Martin’s gravestone at Witmer Cemetery.
Later in life, he also served as chairman of the Niagara County Ethics Board.
Teixeira additionally became known for his advocacy surrounding impaired driving awareness and public safety, earning recognition from Niagara County’s Mothers Against Drunk Driving Community Action Team, which named him its 1999 Judge of the Year.
Friends and family described him as someone whose service extended far beyond titles and offices.
He was a hunter, fisherman, gardener and outdoorsman with a decades-long hunting tradition in New York’s Southern Tier.
But above all else, family remained at the center of his life.
Teixeira is survived by his wife Jackie, their six children, 12 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
His obituary described a man who devoted his life to serving others as a police officer, judge, mentor, husband and father while becoming a fixture throughout the Town of Niagara and Niagara County.
For many in the community, Teixeira represented a generation of local public servants whose names became synonymous with the towns they served.
Visitation for Teixeira will be held Friday, May 15th from 3pm to 7pm at M.J. Colucci & Son Niagara Funeral Chapel on Military Road in Niagara Falls.
A Mass of Christian Burial will take place Saturday, May 16th at 10am at St. Leo’s Church in the Town of Niagara.
Private inurnment will follow at Witmer Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the Town of Niagara Lions Club, Make-A-Wish Western New York, Buffalo-Niagara Honor Flight or another charity of choice.
