Robert Harold Jackson Sr., 77, died Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, at his home in Oneonta, Alabama. Bob was born on Aug. 2, 1940, to John L. and Ona (Maxwell) Jackson in Iuka, Mississippi. He graduated from Sheffield High School in Sheffield, Alabama and attended Florence State College (UNA) on a football scholarship. He later earned an MA in Education from the University of Oklahoma and an MBA from the University of West Florida.
Bob was a decorated Army officer; an airborne ranger who earned a silver star, six bronze stars (two for valor), a purple heart, and many other military awards. Bob served three combat tours, first in the Dominican Republic where he helped start a church that exists to this day, and then twice in Vietnam. Because of Bob’s exceptional leadership and his company’s outstanding combat record, journalist John Lawrence was embedded with him during his second Vietnam tour filming the 1970 CBS Emmy award winning documentary The World of Charlie Company. Eight years later reporter Bruce Morton followed up with a sequel Charlie Company at Home. Bob was also featured in John Lawrence’s 2002 bestselling memoir The Cat from Hue.
Bob medically retired from the Army in 1976. After treatment and convalescence, he began a second career with Southern Company at Gulf Power in Pensacola, Florida. He moved to Birmingham in 1995 and provided executive leadership in the human resources area for 15,000 Southern Company employees.
A life-long faithful Christian, he was a member at Lester Memorial Methodist Church where he taught Sunday school and served terms both as a trustee and chairman of the trustees.
Bob is survived by his wife, Betty (Grissom) Jackson; son, Robert Harold Jackson Jr. and Julie (Webb); daughter, Joshilyn (Jackson) Winn and Scott; and grandchildren, John Daniel Jackson and Claire (Hovater) Jackson, Erin Virginia Jackson, Samuel Jackson Winn, and Maisy Jane Winn.
He was preceded in death by his brother, John Michael.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 3 p.m. at Ridout’s Valley Chapel, 1800 Oxmoor Rd., Homewood, Alabama. The family will receive visitors there from 2 p.m. until the time of service. Bob will be interred in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Army Emergency Relief fund and Scholarship America.
