James Lee Jackson was born on December 10, 1932 in Alva, Oklahoma to Roy Jackson and Alice Hada Jackson.
He was the first born in a family of five, would later have a younger sister, Peggy, and younger brother, Timm.
His early years in Alva were spent working on the family wheat farm and cattle ranch. He also played football and performed in theater.
He graduated from Northwestern Oklahoma State University.
He joined the military and served in the Army.
After the war, he returned to Alva and taught Chemistry at Northwestern OSU and then entered the insurance business in Oklahoma City where he met Eressia Holliday. She was a bank teller and he was her customer. He asked her for a date and their first date took place on Friday, July 13, 1962. Every Friday the 13th after was considered lucky for them.
They married on December 27, 1963 and soon moved to Houston, Texas to start a business known as Jackson’s Restoration and Cleaning Company, Inc. A first-of-its-kind business, Jackson’s Restoration and Cleaning specialized in restoring personal and commercial property damaged by fire, water and smoke. Jim and Eressia built a highly successful and unique business that grew in size and reputation over thirty years.
Jim adopted Eressia’s daughter Christy, age 3, from a former marriage. They had another child, Anne Holliday, born in 1966. During their time in Houston, Jim attended flight school and earned his pilot’s license. As a pilot he often flew the family to cities in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.
Jim spent many years enjoying deer hunting, outdoor photography and golf. The family traveled extensively in the US and Canada. Many Summers were spent in the GMC motorhome under the CB handle, The Travellin’ Texans.
In the second phase of his life, Jim returned to Oklahoma, in Agra, to start a cattle ranch and to be closer to his aging parents. He became active in the community supporting many local high school programs and attending a variety of music events.
As his health failed, he and Eressia entered Southern Oaks Care Center in Pawnee OK in March 2020. He contracted Covid and passed away December 29, 2020.
He is preceded in death by his parents and his sister Peggy.
He is survived by his brother Timm Jackson and sister-in-law Karen, his 2 daughters Christy Jackson and Anne Alvarez and 3 grandchildren Jessica Dockstader, Daniel Alvarez and Andrew Alvarez.
A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Chapel of Palmer Marler Funeral Home, Cushing.