Ralph C. Jackson

Ralph C. Jackson, age 87, Streetsboro, Ohio, passed away on Sunday, September 13, 2020. Ralph was born January 22, 1933 in Honaker, Russell County, Virginia to Charlie William and Annie (Sykes) Jackson.

Ralph had eight siblings and resided in the Russell County area until entering the Air Force in 1951. He enjoyed traveling the world during his time in the Air Force while stationed at Tulln Air Base outside Vienna, Austria where he worked in the motor pool, making many lifelong friends. He moved to Ohio, where he met and married Mary Jane Spies; they had two children, Joyce Jackson Callahan and Scott Jackson. In 1968 he moved to Ascension Island, South Atlantic Ocean, working for Pan Am World Services for 20 years and again in 1992. He assisted various Apollo and Shuttle Space Missions plus whatever was needed in support of the Eastern Test Range. There he excelled as an Airframe & Powerplant Master mechanic on all equipment, including the Liquid Oxygen Plant. He enjoyed hours of fishing, going to Air Shows and Museums, and anything related to flight. His off hours were spent building and growing the Volcano Radio Station ZD8VR with the aid of British, St. Helenian and US workers. While there, he met Deborah Ann Cowan of Streetsboro, Ohio. They married and later moved to South Walton County, Florida. They enjoyed the water, world travel, visiting lifelong friends, and attending reunions during his retirement. In recent years, they moved to Streetsboro having a good life along the Cuyahoga River and with his canine friend, Ollie. Ralph had a loving and caring heart, always putting others’ needs ahead of his own. He believed in being friendly and never met a stranger.

Ralph is preceded in death by his parents, Charlie and Annie Jackson, his sisters, Iva Jean Jackson Manning (Larry) and Virginia Kathleen Jackson (Mack) Ball and two brothers, Homer Lee Jackson (Virginia) and Ellis Brady “Jack” Jackson (Jean).

Ralph is survived by his wife of 32 years, Deborah Cowan Jackson, his children, Joyce Jackson Callahan of Longview, Texas and Scott Jackson of San Francisco, California, Christian Callahan, grandson, and his canine companion, Ollie. He is also survived by siblings, Ruth Jackson Davis (Gene) of Jacksonville, Florida, Nell Jackson Mees (Roy) of Richland, Mississippi, Glenn Edward Jackson (Anna Ruth) of Blackstone, Virginia and Charles Dean Jackson (Yvon) of Midlothian, Virginia, plus many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews throughout the country.

The family will have a private memorial service for the internment of his ashes. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Reeds Valley Church, c/o Judy Harris 5929 New Garden Road, Honaker, VA 24260 or your local animal shelters or Humane Society.

Services in care of Bissler & Sons Funeral Home, 628 W Main Street, Kent, Ohio 44240