RIP Jack
Jack Renfro, leader of Mrs. Renfro's Salsa in Fort Worth, dies at 89
Jack Renfro, RIP.
John "Jack" Wendell Renfro, of Fort Worth's beloved Renfro Foods, Inc., died on April 6, 2026, in the midst of treatment for a recent throat cancer diagnosis. He was 89.
Born and raised in Fort Worth, Jack was the son of Renfro Foods founders George and Arthurine Renfro, and served as the long-time Chief Operating Officer of the company.
“Our company mourns my dad deeply, a man who gave most of his professional life, and a piece of his heart, to helping Renfro Foods thrive operationally — from the production line to the building to technological innovations,” said president Doug Renfro in a statement. “He was more than one of its 20th century innovators, but a Renfro’s superfan who passed out jars of salsa to everyone he met.”
“We have all benefited from Jack’s wisdom, humor and kind heart,” said senior vice president Becky Renfro Borbolla. “Our company would not be the same without his influence and presence. He and my dad Bill, his brother who died in 2021, helped Renfro Foods find its future — and for that we are grateful.”
Renfro Foods is a Fort Worth-based, third-generation family business that was founded in 1940 and manufactures salsas, peppers, relishes, and sauces. Jack and his brother Bill began working with the company in the 1960s and took over operations in 1970.
The third generation — including Bill's children, Becky and James, as well as with Jack's son Doug — now run the company.
Jack was married to Connie Renfro for 60 years prior to her death in 2023. He leaves behind three children — Doug, Andrea, and Jill — along with eight grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and a living sibling, Linda Renfro.
The Renfro Foods team will make donations to the following organizations on behalf of Jack, and welcomes others who knew him to do so, in lieu of flowers: North Fort Worth Historical Society in Fort Worth and Spring Creek Baptist Church in Meridian, Texas.
A funeral service for Jack will be held on Friday, April 17, at 10 am at North Fort Worth Baptist Church. Visitation will be held by the family the night before on Thursday, April 16, from 5- 7 pm at Greenwood Funeral Homes in Fort Worth.
