James Glenn Jackson

Jim was the fifth of the five Jackson "kids". "Except for his sister Barbara, he was predeceased by his parents Bill and Jane, two sisters (JoAnne & Gail) and one brother (Bill, commonly referred to as "Buzz"). Growing up, the family was well known in their home town of Wyandotte, Michigan, a suburb south of Detroit.
As a youngster, Jim enjoyed ice skating and playing recreational hockey.  Following high school, he enrolled at the University of Detroit and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management.  During college he met friends and enjoyed hanging around at the University's Sports Arena, especially during basketball season.

Based on his degree, he obtained a management job with the high-quality Jacobson's Department stores.

However, after about two or three years, Jim decided he wasn't satisfied with a professional business career. This became the tipping point for him to visualize an entirely different perspective which governed the rest of his life.

The lyrics of two very popular songs seem to condense and possibly reflect Jim's  thoughts and decision making at that time.

One would be "Go West" by the Village people.  The lyrics: "When out of the wilderness of choice I hear that one stiff voice call to me; Go west young man; Go west young man."

Another would be "Sailing" by Christopher Cross: The lyrics: "Well it's not far down to paradise; At least it's not for me; And if the wind is right you can sail away, and find tranquility; Oh, the sail canvas can do miracles; Just you wait and see;    Believe me." 

Like the lyrics, when he was about 24 or25 he decided to go west and moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico. This was the beginning to try the idea of a calmer, and perhaps a simpler, carefree life. He took a job at a local boat dealer and began selling boats. Sailing then became his passion and a skill. And driving over to Tijuana, Mexico to sail in the Pacific off the Baja California Mexican coast at Ensenada, south of Tijuana, was not that hard to do, just like the lyrics.

As time went on, he explored Tucson, Arizona, met and married a widow with a son, John. Eventually, Jim becomes a widower due to his wife's medical situation.

His job in Tucson involved working at the nearby Tanque Verde Dude Ranch.  The Saguaro National Park, Coronado National Forest and Rincon Mountains surrounded Tucson. Taking visitors on horses throughout the vast ranch was right up his alley, so to speak. Also being somewhat closer to Mexico's Pacific coast here, his sailing ventures could easily continue.  Another skill was maintenance work at the Tucson Medical Center that he learned from his dad as a youngster.

Eventually over time more exploration occurs northward from Tucson to the cities of Scottsdale, Payson, and finally Flagstaff where John was attending Northern Arizona University.

Jim's love of the outdoors is very much reflected in those wonderful song lyrics, which seemed wrapped around him for the rest of his life before passing at age 76 five months before his 77th birthday. May he rest in peace eternally with his family.