Decatur County Mourns Longtime School Maintenance Worker Jackie Brigance
The Decatur County School System announced the death of Mr. Jackie Brigance, a longtime maintenance employee and Riverside High School graduate, who died on November 14, 2025. His passing is felt across schools and the wider community, highlighting the vital role support staff play and the need for robust bereavement and wellbeing resources for school employees.
The Decatur County School System announced that Mr. Jackie Brigance died on November 14, 2025. Brigance was a trusted member of the district maintenance department whose decades of service made him a familiar presence in classrooms, cafeterias and community events. A 1976 graduate of Riverside High School, he and his family have been deeply rooted in local schools for generations.
Brigance’s wife, Vonda Brigance, serves as Chief Financial Officer for the Decatur County Board of Education. The couple are described by the district as pillars of the school system, and staff members and administrators shared memories and condolences during a live feed posted by the district. The board thanked Jackie for his decades of service and asked for prayers and support for the family.
The immediate impact on students and staff is both practical and emotional. Maintenance workers perform essential tasks that keep schools safe and functional, from routine repairs to custodial work that supports health and cleanliness. Losing an experienced employee can create operational strains while teams adjust to fill responsibilities. Equally important is the less visible effect on morale. Long term staff become part of the school family, and their deaths can prompt grief among students and adults alike.
This loss also raises policy and equity questions for local education leaders. Support staff are often lower paid than classroom staff yet they shoulder crucial work and deserve access to paid bereavement leave, mental health services, and information about benefits for surviving family members. School districts are responsible not only for honoring service, but for ensuring that frontline employees and their families have equitable access to financial and counseling resources when tragedy strikes.
As the community remembers Jackie Brigance, the district’s request for prayers and support for the Brigance family is a reminder of the interconnectedness of schools and neighborhoods in Decatur County. In the weeks ahead, attention to staff wellbeing, clear communication about coverage of maintenance duties, and accessible grief support will be important to help students and employees cope while honoring a life of long service.
