Jerry Ray Jackson

Jerry Ray Jackson was born on December 2nd, 1936 and passed away on March 12th, 2021.Jerry served on five different attack aircraft carriers: Lexington, Ticonderoga, Constellation, Hancock, and Oriskany. He trained 3,000 men to service, repair and overhaul aircraft engines, and wrote training guides and manuals. He visited 31 countries, flew around the world four times, and did a tour of duty at the South Pole with the American Scientific Expedition. He was a recruiter selling the navy to prospective recruits and the public for five years. After retiring from the navy, Dad took advantage of the Oklahoma G. I. Bill and got certificates for Welding and Electrical Wiring from the local Vo-Tech school and attended State Tech School in Oklahoma City where he studied horticulture and maintained a 4.0 grade point average. He had his own landscape contracting business for five years. Jerry had a green thumb. Every plant or tree that he touched turned to gold! He grafted different kinds of fruit trees together, had big crops of vegetables and fruit and was even on the front of a Farmers magazine! He raised Jersey Cows, Pigs, Chickens and Rabbits. We always had fresh milk and butter. It was never boring on the farm. He always said “God has been very good to us. The places I have been and the things I have done are unbelievable. If the Lord comes tomorrow, all I could say is, “Thank you, God, for all you have done.”.  Jerry was a retired Navy Veteran who served his country for over 23 years prior to marrying his wife Mirtha. From his brother Wayland Jackson: Jerry was my little brother by five years and eleven months. I did not know him well for most of his life. He was 9 years old when I left home. He should have been the runt of the family, being the last of seven children. He turned out to be the tallest, and according to him, the smartest and best looking of the bunch. After beating up every boy in his class and graduating from Ardmore High School, he went on to have many adventures, then finally settled on a career in the U.S. Navy with credit for overseas duty. He retired at age 37, graduated from college, was a Navy recruiter and started several businesses. He farmed while trying to raise five teenagers, Conan, Gail, Angie, Damon and David. Jerry will be dearly missed by all his loved ones. He is Preceded in death was his Father Seymour Jackson, Wife Jewel, and brothers, Ura , H.L, Doyle, and Giles, and son David Bohn. He is also preceded in death by Grant Jackson. Jerry is survived by his loving wife Mirtha Jackson of 25 years; step son Raul Vergara, step daughter Becky Kile; his grandchildren he adored, Emily Mitchell and James Mitchell. Sister, Foy Jones of McAlester, Ok, his brother Wayland Jackson of Fresno, CA. Jerry's kids; Conan and Candy Jackson of Norman Ok and children Heather, Blake and Conan Jr. Gail (Jackson) and Rickey Caywood of Stuart Ok and  children Nathan, Holly and Garrett. Angela (Jackson) and Kelly Buck of Kingfisher Ok and children Bethany and Brittany. Damon and Virginia Jackson of Chardon OH and children Amanda, Dalton, Lily and Logan in addition to and many great grandchildren he left behind