James H. "JJ" Jackson Obituary (1930 - 2017)

James H. "JJ" Jackson 86, of Decatur, IL passed away at 5:04 a.m., Wednesday, January 4, 2017, in St. John's Hospital Springfield, IL. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, January 7, 2017, at Dawson & Wikoff Funeral Home, Mt. Zion. The family will receive friends for visitation beginning at 1:00 p.m. until service time on Saturday afternoon. Burial will be in North Fork Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials may be made to the Scovill Zoo or the Macon County Animal Shelter. Jim was born on December 20, 1930, in Villa Grove, IL the son Harry and Cora (Phillips) Jackson. He married Cora B. Wilcoxon on September 8, 1950. Jim was a retired operator of Waste Water Treatment for AE Staley Manufacturing Company after forty three years of service to the company. He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church, a former member of the Decatur Odd Fellows lodge, and a former volunteer fireman for Long Creek Fire Department. Jim was a volunteer for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief and assisted with the mission in New York City following 9/11 and many others. He was a former member of the Lakeview High School Booster Club and the Decatur Yacht Club. Jim was an engineer for the Zoo Express train in Scovill Zoo and a volunteer with the St. Mary's Hospital Auxiliary. He was an avid Illini fan and a member of the Decatur Gun Club. Surviving is his wife of sixty-six years: Cora of Decatur; daughters: Judy Lippard and her husband John, Jackie Grubbs and her husband Steve, and Jill Morse and her husband Gary all of Decatur; son: Jimmy Jackson of Decatur; brother: Lloyd Jackson and his wife Janet of Bloomington, IL; sister: Mabel Munson of Decatur; grandchildren: J.R. Auton and his wife Julie of Decatur, Aaron Grubbs and his wife Joni of Mt. Zion, Matt Grubbs and his wife Kari of Lake in the Hills, IL and Sara Morse of Decatur; twelve great-grandchildren also survive. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, three sisters, and his granddaughter: Melissa Ford.