James Jackson
Coach Jim Jackson, 83, passed away Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, after a short battle with cancer and entered the presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
At his request, there is no visitation or service.
Jim was born Nov. 18, 1936, in Hamilton County to Hubert and Mabel Limmer Jackson.
He graduated from McMurry University in Abilene in 1960 where he played football. He enlisted in the Army and dutifully served his country in Vietnam in the 25th Infantry.
Upon returning, he met and married Lynette McLaurin, his wife of nearly 57 years, when he returned to McMurry for his teaching certificate.
They moved to Rotan in 1963 for Jim’s first coaching job and then to Lubbock, where he received a Masters in Education at Texas Tech University while coaching at Lubbock High School.
In 1969, they moved to Houston where Jim coached at Aldine High School.
They moved to Palestine in 1975 where he coached for many years at Palestine HS and then became a junior high assistant principal until his retirement in 1995. He also served as UIL Regional Track and Field Marshall for nearly 30 years in both Palestine and Whitehouse.
He was a McMurry Athletics Hall of Fame inductee along with his 1959 football teammates.
He also taught courses at Trinity Valley Community College and briefly served as Interim AP at Pflugerville Connally High School until Lynette retired in 1999.
Jim was a family man of faith and integrity. He loved Jesus and the Bible, and studied Hebrew and Greek to better understand it. He was very patriotic and loved his country deeply, never failing to thank a fellow soldier for their service.
Throughout retirement, Jim and Lynette traveled extensively in the US and to all five Canadian provinces. They also traveled to Japan and regularly visited Mexico in the 15 years they were Winter Texas residents of Trophy Gardens, Alamo, Texas.
They had many adventures white water rafting, parasailing and hang gliding. Jim became an avid golfer in retirement and played multiple times per week until his recent cancer diagnosis. The two also had a great time dancing, even appearing in two episodes of CMT’s Club Dance in the 1990s.
While in Alamo, he built houses in Mexico and worked in a food pantry. He and Lynette regularly served Angel Food Ministries food program for many years in Palestine. They also supplied a water well in India and supported other foreign mission programs.
Jim had a heart for teaching and coaching young people after his experience in Vietnam. He often pushed students, especially athletes, to be and do better every day. In fact, you knew he liked you if he gave you a hard time, questioned you about what you were doing or asked who you were “hustling.”
One of his greatest mentors was Rotan’s H. Govan, who left the lasting impression on him that advocating for racial equality was his responsibility as a coach, teacher and a man. He cared more about a person’s work ethic and character than status and possessions.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his in-laws Ted & Helen McLaurin; and brothers-in-law David McLaurin and Joe Dalton.
Jim is survived by his wife Lynette; aunt Ruth Grimm of Fort Worth; sister Wanda Dalton of Hamilton; sister-in-law Kathleen McLaurin of Orlando, Florida; daughter Leanne and husband Daryl Shipper of Belton; son Troy Jackson and wife Amy of Oklahoma City; grandchildren Ella Shipper of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and JR Jackson, John Matthew Jackson and Preslee Lyn Jackson of Oklahoma City; and several cousins, nieces and nephews.
Condolences may be shared at jimjacksonfamily@gmail. com, and memorial donations can be made in his honor to Homes for Our Troops, (https://www.hfotusa.org/).
Rest in peace, gallant soldier.
