William L. Jackson

MASON CITY: William L. “Bill” Jackson, 76, of Mason City, began the next chapter of his life in his heavenly home on Thursday, August 6, 2015. Funeral services will be held 10:30 AM Thursday, August 13, 2015 at St. James Lutheran Church, 1148 4th Street SE with Pastor Jeni Bohls officiating. Interment will be in Park Cemetery, Nora Springs. Military rites will be conducted by the Mason City Veterans Association. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 PM Wednesday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue. Memorials may be directed to the William L. Jackson Memorial Fund.

Bill was born in Mason City, Iowa on November 15, 1938 to William and Eleanore (Hartkopp) Jackson. He grew up and attended school in Mason City. In 1953 Bill began his service in the United States Navy. He received an honorable discharge in 1957 at which time he reunited with his childhood sweetheart, Kathleen Harris. They were united in marriage on February 13, 1965 and were married for 46 years until her passing in 2011. Kathy began dealing with poor health in 2006. Bill became her loving, devoted caregiver for five years until her passing in 2011. We are comforted in knowing that they are reunited once again and will never again have to part.

Bill was a devoted family man. He and Kathy had five children, Jodie Fink, Nora Springs, James (Kelly) Jackson, Plymouth, Julie (Gary) Fricke, Osage, Greg (Sue Kral) Bradbury, Mason City, and Tim (Bonnie) Bradbury, Nora Springs as well as his special daughters Dawn Miller of Nora Springs and Lori Hanson of Minneapolis. They were blessed with fifteen grandchildren, Nicholas Freeman, Zachary and Michael Fink, Matthew, Samantha, and McKenzie Jackson, Joshua and Christopher Johnson, Justin, Teddy, and Dylan Bradbury, Alyssa Bradbury-Uern and T.J. and Angela Bradbury. Bill is also survived by his brother James (Yolanda) Jackson of Spencer and sisters Phyllis Roethler and Norma (Arlin) Helland of Mason City and many nieces and nephews.

Bill worked as an iron worker and belonged to Local 67 for 35 years. When he retired he enjoyed working with his son, Tim, doing construction work. Throughout his life Bill loved to fish and hunt. He had a passion for labs and spent time training and hunting with them. Bill and Kathy loved going on fishing trips to Canada and Minnesota as well as playing cards with friends and going on trips to the casino. Other favorite pastimes were gardening, shooting pool with his sons, watching the Minnesota Vikings and NASCAR races in which he rooted for his favorite driver Casey Kane. This past year Bill thoroughly enjoyed taking a trip to Texas with his brother where they visited his sister and nephew. Bill was preceded in death by his loving wife, Kathy, his parents, sister Virginia Baago, daughter-in-law Stacey Bradbury, brother-in-law Vince Roethler, great nephew J.D. True, and his granddaughter Cassandra Fricke.

You will be sadly missed as our dad, grandpa, brother, uncle, and friend. Thank you for all the memories and special times which will never be forgotten. God bless you on your journey until we meet again.