Longtime Sandy resident, Church Jackson died at his home on Thursday, April 9, 2009. He was 88.
A graveside service will be held at 9:30 .m. on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland.
A Memorial Service will be held at Hoodland Lutheran Church at 11:00 am, April 25.
Henry Churchill Jackson Jr. was born on December 4, 1920 in Dixon, Montana. During his childhood years, he remembered seeing Indians living in Teepees, buffalo, chasing down and riding horses bareback on the plains, his experiences during the depression and serving in the U.S. Navy during Pear Harbor, serving 18 months as a Radio Operator in Guam. After V-Day, he went to Paris, France on the G.I. Bill, studying voice at the Paris Conservatory. He then moved to New York, where he continued vocal lessons and appeared at the Met. In the mid 1950’s Church studied music at Stanford University and later at San Jose State where he received his Master’s Degree in education. He remained in California and taught school for 20 years until retiring.
Church and his wife Nada, then purchased a farm where they took in street kids as a ministry. Several years later, they purchased a motor home and traveled full time for 5 years, seeking out the “family roots”. After traveling through all of the states, they decided to settle in the most beautiful place of all, on the mountain near Sandy in 1989 – “he loved the rain”!
Church will be greatly missed and remembered by his family and friends as a man of God, a teacher, a scholar, a tenor and a traveler. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He was man passionate about the things he believed in. At the age of 58, he biked Europe for 1 year and studied at L’Abris under the Great Francis Schaeffer. Church suffered an ultimate trial for a man who had always been active. He was paralyzed from the waist down for 21 years. Throughout those years, Church was able to bless and encourage others. Now at last, he can again stretch his legs and run!
Surviving is his wife Nada of Sandy; his children, Michael Jackson of Richmond, California, Julianne Fountain of Castro Valley, California; step children, Richard Randall of Dallas, Texas, Don Randall of Alamo, California and Karen Greenbaum of Martinez, California and 8 grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Mt. Hood Hospice, as Nada and her family have appreciated the excellent loving care that received.