JP was born on March 23, 1981, in Houston, Texas, to Paul and Martha Landry. Though born in Houston, he was raised in Grapevine and McKinney, Texas, where he developed an early love for sports, performance, and creativity. He participated in tennis, baseball, cheerleading, and especially theater, where he discovered a passion that would shape much of his life and career.
JP attended Angelo State University, where he met the love of his life, Lisa, on her second day of college. Their friendship quickly grew into a lifelong partnership. Both earned degrees in Theatre and later teaching certifications. JP went on to earn a Master's Degree in Education. He and Lisa were married on August 10, 2008, in a theater a fitting beginning for two people whose lives were so deeply intertwined with the performing arts.
A gifted storyteller, actor, writer, educator, and artist, JP was truly a jack of all trades. While he possessed many talents, his greatest professional passion was serving as a technical director and theater educator, working tirelessly behind the scenes to bring productions to life and inspire generations of students. Over the course of more than twenty years in education, he served as a high school theater teacher, English instructor, art teacher, and even a second-grade educator at a small private school. No matter the classroom, JP brought enthusiasm, creativity, and genuine care for his students.
Beyond his profession, JP was deeply involved in his community and was a passionate advocate for fairness, inclusion, and the equal treatment of all people. He possessed a childlike wonder that never faded and found joy in creating beauty through art, painting, set construction, and design. Whether building elaborate stage sets or simply brightening a room with his laughter, JP approached life with creativity and heart.
Of all his accomplishments, nothing meant more to him than his family. He cherished every opportunity to work alongside his wife and loved sharing his passion for theater with their children, Maxwell Edison and Penelope Layne. He remained devoted to his mother, siblings, extended family, and countless friends throughout his life.
JP accepted Christ at an early age and spent time serving as a missionary in Costa Rica. His faith remained an important part of his life, and he maintained active membership in local churches throughout the years, most recently at Wesley Methodist Church in Greenville, Texas. He believed deeply in treating all people with dignity, compassion, and respect.
Those who knew JP will remember him as a radiant source of joy whose personality could fill any room. He never met a stranger and always had a smile, a story, or a laugh ready to share. He was a gifted conversationalist, a loyal friend, a devoted husband and father, and a man whose warmth drew people to him wherever he went. The world was his stage, and he made it brighter simply by being part of it.
JP is survived by his beloved wife, Lisa Landry; his children, Penelope Layne and Maxwell Edison Landry; his mother, Martha Morrow; his stepfather, Doak Morrow; his sister, Rachel Leigh Donohue; his brother, David Rowland Landry; his nephew, KP Donohue; and a large extended family of relatives, friends, students, colleagues, and community members whose lives he touched.
He was preceded in death by his father, Paul Landry; and his two babies in heaven: Samuel Paul and Grace.
In accordance with his wishes, JP was cremated. A memorial celebration of his life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, June 5, 2026, at the Caddo Mills High School Performing Arts Center in Caddo Mills, Texas. Coker-Mathews Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
JP will be profoundly missed. Yet the ripples of his life through the students he inspired, the family he loved, the art he created, and the friendships he cherished will continue to echo for many years to come
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