1925 – 2022
On Tuesday, June 28, 2022, Neil K. Jackson passed away peacefully at age 97.
Born on May 13, 1925, to Walter and Luella Jackson in Chadron, NE, Neil lived with his parents in a boxcar home along the railroad tracks that his father helped to maintain. The family, along with Neil’s younger brother and sister, moved to Bell Fourche, SD, where Neil completed his schooling.
Neil served in the Army Air Forces at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, OK, in the 1940’s, where he met his wife, Lois. Together, they moved back to SD after Neil’s service, where he attended the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology and earned a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering.
The couple moved back to Oklahoma, where Neil got a job with Oklahoma Gas & Electric and worked for his full 38-year career. They raised their family in Oklahoma, including daughter Karen and son Ken, in Oklahoma City, Enid, and Edmond. Neil moved to Delaware in July 2014 to be closer to his son Ken and his family.
Neil lived a fascinating life and was a man of many hobbies, all of which he mastered. He bowled, golfed, biked, camped with his family, and could fix or build anything. He even built the family’s pop-up camper that they used for travel and camping for many years. He also built an authentic historic muzzleloader and handcrafted knives. Neil’s greatest passion, though, was fishing. In 1988, Neil caught a world-record 18-pound hybrid bass on a 4-pound line on a lake in Oklahoma. In their retirement, Neil and Lois enjoyed travel and camping.
Neil is predeceased by his brother, Garold Jackson; his sister, Betty Carlson; his beloved wife, Lois Jackson; and their daughter, Karen Wiederstein. He is survived by his son, Ken Jackson, and daughter-in-law, Sue Jackson, as well as his son-in-law, Tim Wiederstein, and grandsons, Matthew Wiederstein, Jason Wiederstein, Dean Wiederstein, Jamie Jackson, and Craig Jackson, as well as 11 great-grandchildren and many beloved nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.
Neil’s family would like to express their gratitude to the kind, compassionate staff at Regal Heights Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center in Delaware for their wonderful care of Neil the past six months.
A funeral service will be celebrated at 10 am on Saturday, July 9, at Matthews Funeral Home at 601 South Kelly Avenue in Edmond, OK 73003. Family and friends may also visit on Friday, July 8, from 4 to 7 pm.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to either Dementia Society of America in Neil’s memory or Michael J. Fox Foundation in Lois’ memory.