Layton Jackson

1924 - 2019

Layton Jackson
Layton C. Jackson passed away peacefully at the age of 95 on April 15, 2019, in Fort Smith. He was active in community programs up until the age of 91. He lived a full life and would like to think he made a difference, leaving the world a little better than he found it. He was born at home in Chillicothe, Mo., on Jan. 6, 1924, to Grover Cleveland and Laverne Hennicke-Jackson. He attended Chillicothe High School and played violin in the orchestra. After graduating in 1942, he moved to San Antonio, where he enlisted with the Marines in hopes of being a pilot, but the Marines recruited pilots from the Navy. In late 1942, the government provided Layton with an all-expense paid trip to the South Pacific, being assigned to Company B, Signal Battalion, 3rd Amphibious Corps, first in New Caledonia then Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Guam, Tinian, Saipan, Okinawa and finally Tientsin, in northern China. After his return, with the help of a GI Bill, he went on to enroll in the AG School at the University of Mo-Columbia and later veterinary school, graduating in 1953 with a DVM degree. He met the love of his life in Columbia, Mary Louise Fawks, who he married and they had two children together, Christine Jackson Gonzales and Lawrence Jackson. In 1960, they built the Chillicothe Veterinary Clinic. He was a bit of an evangelist, helping build the Methodist Church in Chillicothe, being a Sunday school teacher for years and sometimes a lay minister. In 1964, he achieved his ambition of becoming a private pilot. He picked up jogging/running in 1970 as if he had not accomplished enough and in 1973 he was elected Chillicothe councilman at large. In 1976, they sold the veterinary clinic and left Missouri for Belize City, Belize, where he and Mary worked as volunteers. In 1978, he took a refresher at the University Mo-Columbia vet school, afterwards moving to Fort Smith, and establishing Eastside Animal Hospital. Layton retired in 1992, but not from work. He helped establish and build Grace Community Church and participated in many Habitat for Humanity homes. He tutored math and reading in Fort Smith's Pike and Barling Elementary schools for almost 20 years. In 2010, the Fort Smith Exchange Club awarded Layton with the 68th annual Book of Golden Deeds Award. Layton, when asked, would always want to be remembered for his kindness.
He is survived by his daughter, Christine Jackson Gonzales and son-in-law Dennis; his son, Lawrence; one granddaughter, Danielle Gonzales Martin; and two great-grandchildren, Jackson and Gemma.
Memorial service for Layton and his wife Mary will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at Grace Community Church, 4001 Brooken Hill Dr., Fort Smith.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Dr. Layton and Mary Jackson Scholarship Endowment at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith, P.O. Box 3649, Fort Smith, AR 72913; or Grace Community Church Mission Projects, 4001 Brooken Hill Drive, Fort Smith, AR 72908; or United Methodist Church Mission of your choice; or volunteer somewhere locally in their memory.
To place an online tribute, go to www.lewisfuneralchapel.net.