James Edwin Jackson

James Edwin Jackson, 84, of Snyder, TX, passed away on Sept. 19th, 2024. He was born on April 10th, 1940 to James Clyde & Eda Irene Jackson of Girard TX and became the younger brother by 5 years to Delton Joe Jackson.  His family moved to nearby Jayton, TX when he was 6 months old due to his father Clyde being hired as a mechanic at the John Deere Tractor dealership. Clyde was making quite the name for himself as a mechanic and would be move over to the local Chevrolet dealership in the near future where he worked for the remainder of his life.  Clyde’s mechanical skillsets greatly influenced the way both his boys loved their cars for the remainder of their lives.

Edwin had the normal jobs of a young boy, mowing lawns, clearing weeds, he worked at a roller rink, a movie theater and a local drugstore.  His first major job was working for the Kent County Extension office, measuring cotton acreage, as there were limitations at that time on how much cotton could be planted by an individual. Following that job, he also did some ranch work distributing silage to feed cattle, built fences and other odd jobs on the ranch and a short time with the Texas Highway Dept.

He graduated from Jayton High School in 1958.  Jayton was a typical small Texas town with 6-man football where many people went out for every sport out of necessity so they could field a team. Edwin’s forte his junior and senior years were tennis. Edwin was very close to all his school friends for a couple grades above and below him due to the cross over between classes due to individuals from multiple classes filling out the sports teams and the small-town nature of Jayton.  He enjoyed rich fellowships with many of those school mates for the remainder of his life.

He related to his children that his two closest friendships where with Orville Douglas Wilson, who only lived in Jayton for 3 years before his family moved away.  Edwin maintained a writing and later phone relationship with Doug for the remainder of their lives visiting him at his graduation from medical school and his home in California in later years.  They were close friends talking often until Doug passed on in 2021.  The other friendship that he coined as his most lasting friendship was with Mack Lauderdale.  Edwin told his children that they went through school together, were in boy scouts together, double dated together, and remained super close.

Following Edwin’s high school graduation he moved to Hamlin, TX to work at a well servicing company and found his first wife Lynda Suzanne Jenkins on a double date with his brother Delton who was dating her sister Jeanette.  Delton told him that Jeanette had a very pretty sister, and Edwin agreed.  Their love flourished and they married on June 18th, 1961.  Just before his marriage, Edwin accepted a job that was to become his career at Midwest Electric Cooperative in Roby, TX, on May 2, 1960. His initial role as a lineman laid the foundation for a lifelong career in Rural Electrical services. In 1966, he relocated to Snyder, TX, to serve as the maintenance man for the Snyder office.  He worked many a weeknight and weekend wiring new homes in Snyder for K&N Electric to help sustain his family. In later years Edwin advanced to the Member Service Director at Midwest Electric on the strength of his kindness, easy-going friendships, and work ethic where he served all his co-workers and members.  Edwin retired as the District Manager of the Snyder office in 2002 after 42 years of dedicated service.

Edwin was deeply involved in his community, participating in various civic organizations including the Rotary Club and the Lions Club and many youth-oriented activities including the FFA, 4H, Boy Scouts, Junior Bowling leagues, and other School organizations in his many duties as Member Services Director and father to his children.

Edwin lost his wife Suzanne in 1983 after two bouts with cancer and a far too short life together raising their sons.  Following Suzanne's death, Edwin found a new life partner in Donnajean Laura Cheyne with her two children Laura and Joe.  Edwin and Donna have shared 40 years together in marriage since.  He and Donna faithfully attended Grace Lutheran Church in Snyder, TX and have both been steadfast foundations of their expanding family touching lives for 3 generations after theirs.

His personal recreation activities revolved around lifelong hobbies including photography, bowling, golf, woodworking, and especially crafting toys for his grandchildren, which brought him immense joy.  Edwin enjoyed weekly bowling leagues with both wives for decades and later took up golf following his retirement.  He enjoyed playing weekly with a small group of friends in Snyder and his children whenever the opportunities arose.  By his own admission he was never that good a golfer, but he enjoyed it immensely.  He finally gave up golf when his health began to affect his balance, stamina and vision.  He reported that he still dreamed of golfing for many years after that, but he played better in his dreams.  He was well known for pulling out his camera at every opportunity to record all his family gatherings and a few local weddings as well.  He probably took over 30 thousand photos in his life back in the days before smart cameras when that represented more knowledge, skill and expense.  It involved real cameras, with interchangeable lens, planning the shots, arranging for lighting, backdrops and film that he developed himself in a dark room in most cases.  In later years, he purchased a Powered Parachute which allowed him a new opportunity to add arial photography to his repertoire.

Edwin was well loved by all his extended family and vacationed together with Jeanette’s family and Delton at Lake Brownwood for many years when their  children were young.  In later years he would load up the van and drive to Chicago and Wisconsin regularly to visit Donna’s family for extended trips.  Edwin strove to ensure his children had strong relationships with their grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins from an early age seeing both sides of the family as often as possible.  His example of how to live life and his priorities were not lost on his children and helped to shape them into the people they are today.

Edwin's faith was a quiet cornerstone of his life, guiding him in his daily actions and commitments.  The example he made through his daily life struck a chord in his children and friends due to his sincerity and devotion to his friends and loved ones.  His children enjoyed an up-close view of how he dedicated his life to his family and community, embodying the virtues of kindness, generosity, and love and we consider ourselves far better off for Edwin's example in our formative years.

Edwin is lovingly remembered by his wife, Donnajean Laura Jackson; his children, James Kevin & Cindy Jackson, Michael Darren & Joan Jackson, David Allen & Cathy Jackson, James and Laura Lynn Hord, and Joe McFarland Cheyne and his fiancé Jenny Medrano; as well as 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Edwin was preceded in death by his first wife, Lynda Suzanne Jackson, their twin boys, Mickey Wayne & Rickey Lane who were stillborn in 1962, his parents, James Clyde and Eda Irene Jackson, his brother, Delton Joe Jackson, and one great grandchild Addilynn Grace Hord.

A Memorial Service will be held at Bell-Cypert-Seale Funeral Home for family and friends on October 12th, 2024 at 10 am.  They are located at 3101 College Ave, Snyder TX 79549.  A private graveside interment for his family will follow at Hillside Memorial Gardens that afternoon.

Edwin's legacy of simple caring actions in his community involvement will continue to inspire all who knew and worked alongside him.  His long hugs, frequent affirmations of his love, and happy tears at the drop of a hat left no doubt to his family of how well we were loved by him! He excelled in all the most important roles he occupied in life… Son, Brother, Husband, Brother-in-law, Father, Grandpa, Great Grandpa and most of all Friend!