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Neal R. Jackson, 88

Neal R. Jackson, 88, of Tekamah, died Sunday, January 27, 2013, at Memorial Community Hospital in Blair, after years of suffering with Parkinson’s disease.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, January 30, at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Tekamah. Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, January 29, with the family receiving friends from 5 to 7 p.m. at Pelan Funeral Services in Tekamah. Visitation will continue Wednesday at the church one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in the Tekamah Cemetery with military honors conducted by VFW Bataan Post 3304 and American Legion LaFrenz Post 15.

Neal Rufus Jackson was born July 30, 1924, on a farm southeast of Tekamah to Rufus Churchill and Lulu Susan Louisa (Dennis) Jackson. He started school at District 19 in Burt County, southeast of Tekamah. In 1930, his family moved to the Latta Ranch on Highway 75 north of Tekamah. He completed his education at District 6, graduating from Riverside High School in May 1942.

He was the first boy in his family to graduate. He remembered the plays and ball games at Riverside, and walking to school when the car didn’t start.

After graduation, he helped his dad farm until he was drafted into the Army in July 1945. Mr. Jackson was trained at Camp Hood in Killeen, Texas. In 1946, he was stationed with the “Peace Keeping Force” in Korea.

He was discharged in 1947. He received the World War II Victory and Army Occupation Medals.

When he returned from the service, he resumed farming with his dad and working part time for other farmers in the Tekamah area.

In February 1954, Mr. Jackson began work at Tek Seed and worked in the seed corn business for 33 years, as the name changed to Migro then Agri Pro. He retired in March of 1987.

In December 1954, he married Marialice Eckley. The couple had four children.

Mrs. Jackson died in August 1979.

In April 1984, Mr. Jackson married Carolyn Trisler in Fremont.

After he retired, he was a house husband. When Mrs. Jackson retired, the couple traveled and took a special trip to New Zealand and Australia in 1997.

He enjoyed gardening, walking and square-dancing until his health declined. He also enjoyed doing the crossword puzzles every morning.

He was baptized April 21, 1957, in the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Tekamah, where he was a member. He was a member of American Legion LaFrenz Post 15 in Tekamah.

He is survived by his wife, Carolyn of Tekamah; sons and daughters-in-law, Paul and Kim Jackson, Mark and Karen Jackson, all of Tekamah, and Erik (Gwen McGoveran) Jackson of Uehling; daughter and son-in-law, Susan and Mike Braniff of Tekamah; six grandchildren, Molly Willing of Blair, Grant Jackson of Tekamah, Annie Jackson of Lincoln, Andrew and (Sara Renshaw) Braniff, Sara (Jeff Werner) Braniff and Michael and Jordan Braniff, all of Tekamah; four great-grandchildren, Justice Braniff, Lily Willing, Beckett Braniff and Quinnlyn Braniff; sisters and brother-in-law, Barbara Lockhart of Lynwood, Wash., and Iris and Robert Ray of Tekamah; brother and sister-in-law, Leonard and Marilyn Jackson of Fremont; and nieces, nephews and friends.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Marialice; six brothers: two in infancy and Roy, Ralph, Lloyd and Wilbert Jackson; and two sisters, Fern Jackson and Doris Metzler.

Memorials may be directed to Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Tekamah Fire & Rescue and the donor's choice.