Robert "Jerry" Jerome Jackson

Robert Jerome “Jerry” Jackson, 84, Malibu, passed away Sunday, June 7, 2020. He was born on Sunday, June 23, 1935 in Los Angeles to Robert Herbert and Fern Dale Newton Jackson. Jerry grew up in North Hollywood graduating from North Hollywood High School in 1954, where he was student body president. He attended Valley College. He then enrolled in the United States Air Force in 1957 serving for two years stationed in Asia.

After his Air Force service, Jerry entered the advertising field. Later he served as the finance director for Young Americans for Freedom.

In 1965 he went to Viet Nam as a war correspondent for a San Fernando Valley newspaper. He traveled from Hue to Saigon. There he lived among the locals when not out covering the Marines. He wrote articles on personnel serving from his local community. After returning in 1966, he ran for the California State Assembly from the then 42nd District.

Following that, Jerry worked for the California Electric Sign Association and Sign Users Council. For seven years from 1979 to 1986 he served as Executive Director of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce. He returned to the California Electric Sign Association until his retirement in 1997. He loved his career as a lobbyist, legislative advocate, association executive, and meeting planner.

Jerry relished the adventure of travel, including a trip to Greece and Turkey following the travels of St. Paul; attending the 50th anniversary of the D-Day landing in Normandy and the 60th anniversary of Pearl Harbor; training through western Canada; cruising in Alaska, to and from Hawaii, and through the Panama Canal.

He loved and supported our military veterans. After a cruise in 2002 to World War II battle sites in the Pacific, Jerry compiled a book of the stories of friends and family who had served there, “Remembering: Stories from the World War II Pacific.” He was a member of the Order of the Vietnam War in honor of his service as a newspaper correspondent.

Jerry had a lifelong love of baseball. His claim to fame was pitching to a young Don Drysdale when they played American Legion ball in the Valley—Jerry for North Hollywood; Drysdale, for Van Nuys. As a kid he collected the autographs of players. When the Hall of Fame was at 200 members, he realized his collection included the first 100. When asked why he stopped there, he would say, “I discovered girls.” He particularly loved Sunday afternoon games at Dodger Stadium with friends and a Dodger Dog.

Jerry was an inspiring advocate for organ donation. He received a life-saving liver transplant 23 years ago at UCLA and a kidney transplant 10 years ago at UMC Tucson. He was a member of Transplant Recipient International Organization (TRIO).

A member of Malibu Pacific (Presbyterian) Church from 1975, he was ordained as a Deacon.

He is survived by his wife of 42 years Carol Oakley Jackson; brother, Richard Jackson; nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Barbara Jean Adams. Private services will be held. Interment will be in Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park, North Hollywood.