Forest Franklin “Jim” Jackson

Services for Forest Franklin “Jim” Jackson, 88, of Andrews were at 2:00 PM Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at the Andrews West Cemetery under the direction of McNett Funeral Home.

He died Thursday, December 24th at his home in Andrews.

He was born at the Magnolia Pump Station in Addington, Oklahoma on June 9, 1932 to Holly Alto Jackson and Frances Emory, and was the 2nd of four sons. He married Charlene “Lucky” Jackson on May 11, 1962. (She received this nickname because she was “lucky” to have found him!).

He was a basketball player and won state his senior year. Jim received a basketball scholarship after graduating high school, but after an injury bull riding, began work at Boeing Aircraft in Kansas. Then, he was drafted into the army in 1951, and could have received deferment due to his work at Boeing, but declined and entered the Korean Conflict. He served his country in Alaska for 4 years.

After being discharged from the Army, Jim came to Columbus, Texas to see his parents. He made the decision to homestead in Alaska and made a stop in Andrews for a few months to earn enough money to fix his car. It was then, that he met Charlene, fell in love and got married.

Jim worked as a manager at a parts house in Andrews for many years. Then he became a heavy equipment operator for Precinct 4, later becoming foreman. He made the decision to retire in 1994 to take care of Lucky.

Jim was a bull rider, race car driver, mechanic, handyman, uncle, husband, father, brother and Bobo. He loved his family and was always ready for a joke or a story. He would drop anything to help a friend and never missed the opportunity to see his grandchildren, Clint and Reagan perform.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, his wife and son, Thomas Craige.

Survivors include his son, Cary H. “Skeeter” Jackson and wife, Valerie, grandson, Clinton Hollis Jackson, granddaughter, Reagan Dawn Preston and husband, Matt and great-grandchildren, Harvest Dawn Preston and John Luke Preston.