Dr. Gary E. Tatum

Dr. Gary E. Tatum of Jasper passed away peacefully on January 28, 2026 at the age of 91. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. with interment to follow at the Newton City Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 in the Frank Ealand Hall at First Methodist Church. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Patricia Tatum and his sister, Mary Anne Tatum Aucoin. He is survived by his daughter Andrea Tatum of Jasper, Texas.

Dr. Tatum was born on October 25, 1934 in Beaumont, Texas. A few years later his family moved to Houston where he grew up. He attended San Jacinto High School followed by the University of Houston, where he received a degree in Petroleum Engineering. After a brief stint in the oilfield business in Midland, Texas he decided to return to school when subjected to the threat of layoffs. He attended the University of Houston School of Optometry so he could become self-employed and enjoy greater job security for his young family.

After graduating from school, Dr. Tatum moved to Jasper, Texas in 1966 to settle there and serve the area as its only eye doctor (in those early years). Throughout the years his practice grew, and he opened other optometry offices in Jasper, Kirbyville, and Woodville, before finally retiring in his mid 80’s. He enjoyed his work and loved his office staff. He treated all of his relatives for free. He will be long remembered in Jasper for his kindness and charity to all his patients, even those who could not afford to pay and whom he would treat free of charge.

Dr. Tatum was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting, fishing, and boating in his spare time. He would take his beloved mule Oscar to Colorado to enjoy mountain activities while his wife Pat, an accomplished artist, took photographs of the gorgeous scenery for future paintings that she then displayed in the Jasper Art League gallery.

Dr. Tatum was a very involved uncle and great-uncle. His numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews fondly remember their childhood years with him when they would vacation in Newton, Texas, especially every Thanksgiving for decades. On those occasions he would treat them to boat rides, picnics on the lake, horse or mule rides, and fishing and hunting expeditions, sharing his love and knowledge of the outdoors with his family. He could also make a mean lemon meringue pie for Thanksgiving dessert, after which he would enjoy quiet one on one conversations by the fire in the old Tatum historical homestead in Newton. Dr. Tatum will be greatly missed by his family, who were so thankful they were able to spend their last Thanksgiving with him this past year at the old Tatum family home in Newton. Your prayers for the repose of his soul and for his daughter Andrea are kindly appreciated. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to First Methodist Church of Jasper, 329 N. Bowie, Jasper, Tx 75951. Condolences can be posted at www.shultzfuneralhomeofjasper.com, on Facebook at Shultz Funeral Home & Crematory, or Shultzfh.