Jesse Joe Briseno's Obituary
In Loving Memory of Jesse Joe Briseño
28 October 1960—March 27, 2026
Jesse Joe Briseño passed away peacefully March 27, 2026, in Houston, Texas, after a chronic, progressive illness. Jesse is now at peace with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Born on October 28, 1960, in Kingsville, Texas, Jesse was the beloved child of José and Dolores Briseño. The family later relocated to Corpus Christi, Texas, where Jesse attended W. B. Ray High School. He played as a defensive end on the football team and was actively involved in ROTC and the debate team.
At age 17, Jesse joined the U. S. Army in 1979 and served as an Army Ranger in Airborne Assault and saw the world as a Military Policeman. He was stationed at Ft. McLellan, AL, Ft. Stewart, GA, Cakmakli, Turkey, Ft. Leonard Wood, MO, Ansbach, Germany, Camp Darby, Italy. Jesse’s many combat tours included those to Panama, El Salvador, The Virgin Islands, Egypt, Israel, Kuwait, and classified locations, where he would tell those who asked that he had not the slightest idea where he had been.
One soldier who served under Jesse remarked, “Jesse wasn’t just a leader in rank. He led by example. “He took care of his soldiers. He made sure we didn’t just know what to do, but how to do it and why it mattered. He had a way of teaching that stuck with you. It stayed with me. Years later, when I deployed to Somalia as a leader of soldiers, there were moments where the weight of it hit—real decisions, real consequences would find me thinking: “What would Jesse do?”’
A lot of people who knew Jesse later in life may not have known the tremendous burdens he carried. He earned the Silver Star—one of the highest honors for valor—but he never wore it in a way that drew attention. If you didn’t know, he wasn’t going to tell you. And what he went through to earn it… and how it weighed him down afterward… that was real. But he never let it define him in a way that changed how he treated people. He was still kind. Still grounded. Still one of the most genuine people you could meet.”
Jesse retired from the Army as a decorated Staff Sergeant, with awards that include the Silver Star for Gallantry in Action and three Bronze Stars for Uncommon Valor and for Extreme Heroism in Combat. He was also awarded eight Expert Marksmanship badges. After retirement, he moved to the Houston area, where for 10 years he served as a Federal Officer in Adjudication at the Department of Homeland Security.
Jesse loved “playing in the dirt” with his vegetable gardens, cooking American and various international cuisine, and restoring historically significant antique firearms. He cherished his wife of twenty years and for their several adopted and rescued pets. Jesse’s selflessness and generosity of spirit were evident in his actions—he never met a person or animal in need without doing all he could to help. With his inexhaustible collection of puns, witticisms and excruciatingly lengthy, detailed stories and jokes, neither did Jesse meet a person he could not make laugh… or cringe.
Jesse is survived by his wife, Suszanne Dozier Briseño, daughter, Shauna Coulter, son, Jason Briseño, father, José Briseño, mother, Dolores Briseño, sister and brother, Dianna Coulter and Samuel Briseño, two granddaughters, Kendra and Marina, two “adopted” grandsons, David and Peter, one great-grandson and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, Jesse’s family asks that donations be made to Disabled American Veterans or Operation Pets Alive (OPA).
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