Daniel Jackson

Dan Jackson, of San Francisco, CA passed away on November 14, 2025 at age 54. The “son of a preacher man[1]”, Dan essentially grew up in a variety of churches across Southern California and Southern Washington, and graduated from Quartz Hill High School in Lancaster, CA in 1988[2]. Dan completed his undergraduate and masters studies at USC (BA in Philosophy and MA in Linguistics) and studied abroad in Zimbabwe and Kenya[3]. The experience in Africa was so powerful that Dan was inspired to serve in the Peace Corps in Sri Lanka. Further graduate work ensued at UCSD (ABD, Cognitive Science & Linguistics), where he was an NIH fellow. In San Diego he met Nita, who became his wife and constant companion. Dan graduated from Yale Law School (JD), which Nita humorously referred to as “The Last Chapter”[4] of his education on his groom’s cake in 2001.

Dan was a dutiful and doting husband, and a wonderful and loving father who always expressed honorable traits of his character such as kindness and empathy with immense love. In both happiness and in sadness, he not only mastered but modeled those traits. He taught empathy to his kids by example, his greatest achievement. As a soccer coach to his daughter Maya, or decathlon or trapeze or soccer birthday party(ies) organizer for his son Devon, he was known to the kids’ childhood friends as “Dan the Man.” Dan enjoyed playing Santa at the Patel-Jackson family Christmas party in a house filled with cheer, with his crockpot creations and toll house pie, and a big Christmas tree. He didn’t necessarily enjoy being a school chaperone on overnight trips, but he nevertheless obliged and usually managed the students more effectively than most teachers. Once a pool shark, Dan enjoyed teaching Devon how to play pool during Covid (as well as beating him). As Devon honed his skills, Dan fought hard for every game, but was quietly proud and loved that Devon had become the better shot. Begrudgingly, Dan indulged Nita in the mandated weekly family entries in the Patel-Jackson Gratitude Journal; but was the first to commence Nita’s scheduled Family Meetings in the hot tub. Dan was an avid outdoorsman, and loved soccer (both playing and watching [5]), reading, traveling and, most of all, being with his family. His wry observations were always tempered with humor, gentleness and a generosity of spirit.

Dan was an attorney at Keker, Van Nest & Peters for nearly 25 years, and was fiercely devoted to his clients. He excelled at writing (honed by his work and love of research across three post-graduate programs) and enjoyed showcasing his talents and natural skills via legal writing at KVP. Many enjoyed reading and discussing his crafted artisanal briefs over the years, and were often surprised by his modesty about working on such groundbreaking or impactful cases. Dan was known for his direct, precise, and straightforward prose, and Dan’s clients and case teams all benefited. He was unafraid to take on the powerful on behalf of the powerless[6].

Dan is survived by his wife, Nita Patel; his daughter, Maya Jackson; his son, Devon Jackson; and his three wonderful older sisters[7]: Tammy Wilson (husband Will; daughters Danae Fisher and Ariel Brown and their families), Tanya Collins (husband Bob; children Tyler Padgett, Kelsey Padget and Alyssa Padgett), and Teri Lindsay (husband Ed; children Jake Lindsay and Jerilyn Malone and their families). Dan is also survived by his mother-in-law, Varsha Patel; sister-in-law, Bela Patel (husband Vilas Chopra; sons Dilan and Jaiden); and brother-in-law, Neil Patel (wife Melissa; daughters Everly and Eila).

Dan was preceded in death by his parents, Dan & Nelda Jackson, and by his father-in-law, Jay Patel, all of whom were also taken much too early (2019). We take comfort in knowing they must have needed him in Heaven, beckoning him early, with open arms, into Eternal Joy after too long a period of suffering. He now rests in peace.

The family wishes to express their gratitude to the many UCSF Health Departments that Dan frequented over the past many years. Dan was a courageous patient who endured hardship and multiple treatments without complaint. The careful and coordinated care he received among the dozen or so UCSF departments was relentless. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to UCSF Medical Research Sarcoidosis Fund[8] (fund code: B3225).

A private memorial service will be held on Saturday December 20, 2025 at 2pm PST in San Francisco. The memorial service will be available via livestream.

[1] Nita & Dan’s San Diego friends often referred to this song when sharing the couple’s love story:

https://genius.com/Dusty-springfield-son-of-a-preacher-man-lyrics

[2] Dan graduated early from high school at age 16 and told his mother that he would see her at Thanksgiving. Initially dismayed, Nelda Jackson later felt relieved when he came home 10 days later to do his laundry.

[3] IYKYK “Meme Ni mazungu Na mimi na kula watoto.” Nita’s childhood nickname is Toto (shortened from “watoto”).

[4] See picture of groom’s cake at the Hindu+Christian wedding of 1,000 guests in Houston in 2001.

[5] Dan’s favorite team was Liverpool. Liverpool’s fight song “You’ll Never Walk Alone” accurately depicts Dan’s last years as he never walked alone. In his last years, he walked through the storm, wind and rain with Nita, Devon, Maya, our beloved neighbors the Rosenthals (aka “the Rosies”), his sisters, and his closest friends. Dan’s family is forever grateful.

https://d3j2s6hdd6a7rg.cloudfront.net/uploads/activity_sheet_song.pdf

[6] Dan Jackson, Brief for Amicus Curiae Amnesty Int’l Ltd. in Support of Petitioner PFC Chelsea E. Manning, United States v. Manning, No. 20130739 (C.A.A.F. Aug. 21, 2018).

www.nacdl.org/Article/March2017-TheRoadtoHellTheCaseAgainstSol

[7] Dan’s experience of having 3 older sisters prepared him well to be bossed around by Nita for 25+ years.

[8] https://giving.ucsf.edu/fund/sarcoidosis-fund