Obituary Details

William "Bill" Jackson

(05/28/1926 - 11/12/1997)
Courtesy of The Lusk Herald, 11/19/1997

Memorial services for Newcastle resident, William "Bill" Jackson, age 71, were held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, November 15, 1997, at the Newcastle First Baptist Church with Pastor Jim Jones officiating. Mr. Jackson died at home Wednesday, November 12, 1997, following a lengthy battle with cancer.

The family requests memorial contributions to an education fund for his adopted son and grandson, Billy Michael Jackson, in lieu of flowers.

Bill was born May 28, 1926, at Ottawa, Illinois, the son of William Charles and Vivian (VanHoozier) Jackson. He was raised by his grandparents, William and Minnie Jackson, near Star Rock State Park, Illinois, attending country school near there. He also attended one year of high school at Peru, Illinois.

He moved west to the Sandhills of Nebraska and worked for several of the big ranches, in particular the Mike MacAdams ranch near Dunning. On August 25, 1944, Bill entered the U.S. Navy and trained at Great Lakes, Illinois. He was stationed at Solomoms, Maryland, working. Bill worked as a deep sea diver on a mine sweeper in Chesapeake Bay and up and down the coast. He received a medical discharge July 12, 1946, with rank of Seaman First Class.

Bill was active in the rodeo circuit, with his first rodeo action was at Cheyenne Frontier Days in July, 1946. He continued the rodeo circuit from coast to coast. In Arizona, Bill worked for various movie companies playing bit parts and doing some stunt work.

During the late 1940's Bill moved to the Weston County area of Wyoming, working for Doc Foster and Harry Keeline. Later he again felt the call westward and moved to the Dubois area. He was employed by the CM Dude Ranch and the Triangle C, working with horses and guiding hunters. He returned to Western County in 1950 to work for the Beaver Creek Cattle Association.

Bill met Donnagail Watson during this time and the couple were married on November 24, 1954 at Custer, south Dakota. To this union five children were born.

Bll worked at many occupations during his lifetime - various ranches training and working with horses, driving a logging truck, radio dispatcher, Assistant Chief of Police (Newcastle), Wyoming Game and Fish trapper of big game animals (Dubois), training polo ponies, in addition to his saddle, tack and leather shop business he and Donnagail opened in 1967. He was active in his business up to the time of his death. Bill loved horses, hunting and the outdoors.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, two daughters, Niome Louise Jackson in 1956 and Naoma Marie Jackson in 1992.

Survivors include his wife of nearly 46 years, Donnagail of the family home; son William H. Jackson and wife Tina of Gillette; adopted son and grandson, Billy Michael Jackson of the family home, two daughters, Leona Jackson of Newcastle and Wilma Jackson of Boise, Idaho; one sister, Nioma Locke of Tennessee; 10 grandchildren, Jennifer, Jamie and Hiede Sullivan, Billy jack Hobbs, Louise, William and Justin Jackson, Travis and Alex Jackson-Marler and Jessie Jensen; two great-granddaughters, Jacayla Sullivan and Abagail Lee, James, Frank and Raymond Locke; one niece, Susan and her husband Malcolm Davis; and an uncle, Stuart and wife Jerri jackson of Pacific Palisades, California.

Worden Funeral Directors of Newcastle were in charge of arrangments.

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