Joseph Haller Wellborn, Jr.

Joseph Haller Wellborn, Jr.
1944-2022

The road that runs parallel to Kyle Field on the stadium’s west side is not actually named after Joseph Haller Wellborn, Jr. But rest assured, Joe Wellborn lived the kind of life and left the type of legacy behind that is worthy of a street in Aggieland honoring his name.

Wellborn, the first-ever recipient of the prestigious Aggie Heart Award, died on January 12, 2022, at his home in Bellville, Texas. He was 77, and he will forever be remembered for how he passionately lived those 77 years to the fullest.

He was born June 3, 1944, in Greenwood, Mississippi, the son of Emily Alexander and Joseph Haller Wellborn, Sr. Wellborn was raised in Houston and graduated from St. Thomas High School, a Catholic college preparatory school for young men. Wellborn first began building his athletic legacy at St. Thomas, where he served as the captain of the football team and earned first-team all-district honors during his senior season. Wellborn, who lettered in football for two years, also lettered in basketball one year. He was a leader in every sense of the word, and he developed close friendships at St. Thomas that continued throughout his life and was inducted into the St. Thomas Hall of Fame.

Following his stellar high school career, Wellborn received a football scholarship from A&M College of Texas, which later became Texas A&M University. After starting at guard and linebacker on the 1962 A&M freshman team, he was a three-year letterman on the varsity from 1963-65. In a testament to his leadership ability, Wellborn was selected as a team captain as a senior on head coach Gene Stallings’ first Aggie team in 1965, the same year he earned All-Southwest Conference honors at linebacker while posting two interceptions and recovering a fumble. At the conclusion of his senior year, Wellborn was selected to receive the first Aggie Heart Award, which honors intangibles such as effort, desire, determination, competitiveness, leadership, and courage. More than 55 years later, the Aggie Heart Award remains the highest annual honor that a Texas A&M football player can receive. “There is a Dick Butkus Award because there was a Dick Butkus,” said Wellborn’s teammate Jim Singleton. “There is an Aggie Heart Award because there was a Joe Wellborn.” After earning his bachelor’s degree in management in 1966 from Texas A&M, Wellborn became the first St. Thomas High School product to ever play professional football. He served as a center for the New York Giants in 1966 and 1967. An injury in ’67 ended his brief NFL career, and in 1968, he accepted the coaching position as the defensive coordinator of the undefeated A&M freshman football team.

After leaving football, Wellborn took a position with Exxon, where he met the love of his life, “Suga” (Pamela Byars Wellborn). With Suga’s encouragement and support, Wellborn once again proved his outstanding leadership abilities, as he opened his own business, Wellborn Petroleum in Hempstead, Texas. Wellborn Petroleum also resulted in multiple JW’s Exxon stations.

Wellborn was a truly successful entrepreneur, later forming Wellborn Tire Company. Wellborn Petroleum started out averaging 250,000 gallons per month, and the company was regularly hitting nine million gallons per month when he finally sold the petroleum business. Wellborn Tire Group successfully expanded the Houston operation to four locations in South Central Texas, creating another multi-million dollar company. While growing the companies, he employed many hard-working employees who considered Wellborn as more of a family member than a boss.

Wellborn and his family moved to Schulenburg in 1978, where he and Suga raised their children and supported them in all their sporting events and other endeavors. On Friday nights in the fall, Wellborn was in the press box as the color commentator for the Schulenburg Shorthorns football team. The games could be viewed locally on Saturday mornings, and Wellborn lived up to his title with plenty of colorful and memorable comments that made him a local star. After the Wellborns became empty-nesters, they moved to Bellville in 2003. Wellborn continued to be an avid bird hunter, and he was a member of the Bellville Lions Club. He also contributed to Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Bellville.

In 2013, Wellborn received one of his most meaningful honors when he was inducted in the Texas A&M Athletics Hall of Fame. Throughout his distinguished entrepreneurial career, Wellborn continued to be an active member of the Lettermen’s Association and a 12th Man Foundation Endowed Donor.

Wellborn is survived by his wife, Pamela “Suga” Wellborn of Bellville; daughter Izzy Wellborn Eckermann and her husband, Tony, of Bellville; sons Joseph Haller Wellborn, III, and his wife Debbie, of New Braunfels; along with Ryan Douglas Wellborn and his wife, Laura, of Tomball; and Alex Wellborn and his wife, Kimmie, of Schulenburg. He is also survived by his sisters, Sue Cox and her husband, Allan; and Pegi W. Cariker and her husband, Chris; and by grandchildren Samantha Wellborn, Joseph Wellborn IV “Dru,” Claire Wellborn, Dane Wellborn, Barrett Wellborn, MaryWellborn, Abbey Wellborn, Marshall Wellborn, Bucky Koy, Cat Koy, and Evan Eckermann. Wellborn is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and dear friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Emily and Joseph Wellborn.

The Wellborn family expresses its sincere gratitude to his loving caregivers that were there with him and the family during his final years: Tammy Reese, Kelsey Reese, and Laura Lyons. The family is also grateful to Amedisys Hospice, specifically employees Melissa Smallwood, Shannon Hoover, and Kellie Fitch, for the care they provided Wellborn at the end of his life.


In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to:

12th Man Foundation
P.O. Box 2800
College Station, Texas 77841-2800


Animal Friends of Washington County
3901 Hwy. 36 North
Brenham, Texas 77833