Jeffrey Robert Mains, age 66, passed away January 27, 2025, in Dallas, Texas. He was born on July 9, 1958, in Nyack, New York, to his loving parents John L. Mains and Carolyn L. (Rose) Mains. Jeffrey was passionate about the things that brought him joy and purpose, especially his family, music, and dogs.
The Mains family lived in Stony Point, New York, and Marlboro, New York, where Jeffrey developed interests in wrestling, playing bass, and following his favorite baseball team, the New York Yankees. He moved from New York to Texas and attended Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth; he was a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity, and off-campus, he enjoyed golfing and watching the Yankees with his brother John and playing music with his band at a variety of small local venues.
Upon graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Jeffrey joined Chubb Industries as an insurance underwriter and began a very successful career. In the late 90’s, he was hired at AT&T, formerly SBC, and he excelled as Assistant Vice President in Health Plans and Benefit Design. For nearly twenty years, Jeffrey worked for AT&T and was heavily involved in the American Benefits Council, serving as Chair of the Council’s Board of Directors.
Throughout his life, his guitar and bass playing were outlets for his creativity and expression; he had an almost encyclopedic knowledge of music, particularly that of The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Led Zeppelin. He passed on his love for music to his entire family, whether by going to concerts and listening to albums together or by participating in both planned and spontaneous jam sessions with his daughter Jennifer, his nephew Kevin, and his grandson Jude, whom he said was a “natural” at playing guitar. His home was meticulously organized with a carefully curated collection of music memorabilia, Yankee and TCU collectibles, photos of family, and tributes to beloved dogs, such as his fox-red Labrador Retrievers, Dozer, Snapper and Stanley.
Jeffrey’s love for dogs flourished when he lived in San Antonio and participated in the Alamo Retriever Club. While a member of the club, he developed a passion and talent for training dogs both in obedience and hunting. Although he appreciated a well-trained canine, he often said there were no bad dogs--every dog was welcome to swim in his pool or stay at his home, and dogs loved “Pappy’s Summer Camp” so much that they hated to leave. His involvement in charities such as Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Operation Kindness, and Best Friends Animal Sanctuary showed how much he cared about giving back and making a difference in the lives of others, especially animals.
Jeffrey’s greatest love, though, was for his family, and to say he was proud of his daughters, Laura and Jennifer, would be an understatement. Laura shares Jeffrey’s keen business and financial acumen, and Jennifer carries on his passion for music. He was delighted when Laura married Nathaniel, and Jennifer married Taylor as he knew these wonderful men would be excellent partners for his girls. Jeffrey adored his grandchildren, Jude, Nathaniel, and Eisley Rose (aka “Punkin”), and he liked nothing more than spending a Saturday morning at baseball and soccer games.
Incredibly witty and funny, he relished teasing others, particularly his sister Caroline, whom he gifted many “punny” shirts. He was an amazing host at family parties, and no one ever went thirsty or hungry at these events. Most importantly, everyone laughed. Jeffrey left the world a better place, whether through music, his love for family, or his efforts to help animals.
Jeffrey is survived by his daughters Laura Cordell (Nathaniel), of Allen, Texas, and Jennifer Krause (Taylor), of McKinney, Texas; grandchildren Jude Erik Cordell, Nathaniel Robert Cordell, and Eisley Rose Cordell, all of Allen, Texas; sister Caroline Mains (Nathan Manfred), of San Antonio, Texas; sister-in-law, Susan Mains, of Dallas, Texas; nephews Jason Mains (Melissa), of Sachse, Texas, Kevin Mains, of Dallas, Texas, Gregory Mains, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Christopher Mains, of Hutto, Texas; niece Christine Mains (Jeremy Boaz); and a host of extended family members, colleagues, and friends, who will cherish his memory and miss him horribly, especially his faithful canine companion, Stan.
Jeffrey was preceded in death by his parents John L. and Carolyn L. Mains, and brothers, John N. Mains, and David M. (Mary) Mains.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to any of the following charities: Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, American Heart Association, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, or Operation Kindness.