Obituary of M. D. Jackson

Services for Melton D. 'Jack' Jackson, 91, Arp, are scheduled for 2:00 pm, Saturday, January 30 at the Arp Emmanuel Baptist Church with Reverend Tommy Harden and Reverend Doctor Ron Klingsick officiating. Burial with navy military honors will be in Mason Cemetery, Arp, under the direction of Cottle-Pearson Funeral Home, Overton. Mr. Jackson died Wednesday, January 27, 2009 in a Tyler hospice. He was born August 29, 1918 in Glen Fawn. He served in the Navy during WWII as an armed guard on Victory ships. He had been a member of the pipe fitter and plumbing union for 58 years, working in construction at Dallas and Abilene hospitals. He married Edith Foster in December 1971 and moved to Arp. He was a member of Arp Emmanuel Baptist Church. He loved fishing, gardening and cooking and sharing his wonderful pies with everyone. He was preceded in death by a grandson, Mike Swamcruz and a son, Taylor Foster. Survivors include his wife of 38 years, Edith Jackson, Arp; a daughter and son-in-law, Jackie and Keith Kingston, Lindale; children, Odie and Karen Foster, Arp, Barbara and Dean Hudson, Cow Creek, Becky and Charlie Barton, Arp, Betsy and Donald LeBlanc, Trout Creek, and Beverly and Dennis Nelson, Cheyenne, Wyoming; one brother and sister-in-law, Roland and Melba Jackson, Midlothian; one sister, Dorothy Crow, Minden; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Mary and Ed Parish and Mildred and Ruff Allen, all of Arp; sixteen grandchildren, including two very loving granddaughters, Amy Jon and Mendy, and twenty-seven great grandchildren. Pall bearers will be Andy Bollman, Mark LeBlanc, Chris LeBlanc, Levi Sieber, Cory Guillory, Gary Nelms, Daniel Moore, Richard Locklear, and Josh Parish. If desired memorials, may be made to Hospice of East Texas, 4100 University Blvd., Tyler, Tx 75701. Visitation will be Friday, January 29 at the funeral home from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm.