W. Mack Jackson

W. Mack Jackson

Oskaloosa. W. Mack Jackson, 88, of Oskaloosa and formerly of rural Rose Hill, died Saturday, April 30, 2011, at the Mahaska Hospital in Oskaloosa. He was born November 15, 1922, in Mahaska County, the son of William M. and Margaret Swanson Jackson, Sr. Due to family illness Mack chose to farm full time instead of returning to high school in the fall of 1939. Because of this sacrifice he was able to keep the farm in the family.
On June 21, 1946, Mack was united in marriage to Dorothy Beach at the Methodist Church Parsonage in Oskaloosa. Mack and Dorothy farmed in Mahaska County their entire lives with two sons carrying on the daily operation of the farm, but Mack still enjoyed helping. In November 2010 they moved to Maple Ridge Assisted Living in Oskaloosa. Mack was very community minded and saw great value in giving back to the community by serving various organizations. He was active in helping to reorganize the Lacy Consolidated Schools in the 1960’s. Education was very important to Mack, though he did not finish high school, he encouraged and expected his children and grandchildren to be good students and pursue higher education. He served two terms on the Oskaloosa School Board, and sat as president for a time. Mack was passionate about preserving the legacy of farming and educating the public about how things were done in the past, serving as chairman of the Nelson Pioneer Farm for a time and was a trustee for the Historical Society in Mahaska County. He also served as: Farm Bureau Board Member, 4H as a county committee leader and helped at the county fair, active in local politics and the Republican Party and promoted little league when his children played in the 1960’s. He was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church. He enjoyed traveling and was always up for a good discussion with anyone who was willing to visit. Mack lead by example, and encouraged his family through his actions.

His family includes his wife of over 64 years Dorothy Beach Jackson of Oskaloosa; a daughter and her husband: Margaret and Herbert Strasser of Ames; two sons and their wives: Tom and Cindy Jackson and Mark and JoAnn Jackson all of rural Rose Hill; 9 grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his oldest son in November of 1982, James William Jackson; two brothers: Donald and Keith Jackson; and a sister Wilma Hope Jackson.

Funeral services for Mack Jackson will be held Tuesday, May 3, 2011, at 10:30 a.m. in the Bates Funeral Chapel in Oskaloosa with Reverends Robert Dean and Howard Lord officiating. Burial will be in the Wymore Cemetery. The Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Visitation will begin Monday morning after 10 a.m. at the Bates Funeral Chapel and the family will be at the funeral chapel on Monday evening from 5-7 to greet friends and relatives. Memorials may be made to the Central United Methodist Church or Nelson Pioneer Farm.

Source: Bates Funeral Chapel