Obituary of Mark G. Jackson

WOODHULL/PALM HARBOR; Mark G. Jackson, 68, of Palm Harbor, FL, passed away peacefully on the evening of February 3, following an extended illness. He was born November 24, 1951, in Hornell, the son of the late George and Veva Jackson of Woodhull. Mark graduated from Jasper Central School in 1969. After attending RIT and Alfred Tech for 1 year, Mark joined the U.S. Marine Corps serving four years. Mark then attended the University of South Florida, graduating as an Electrical Engineer. Mark’s first position out of college was with Texas Instruments in Dallas. Then in June of 1980, Mark began working at Sperry Univac (now Lockheed Martin) in Oldsmar, FL, as a Senior Project Engineer running the JDAM GPS guidance system in conjunction with Boeing for the US Defense Dept., a position he held until he retired in January 2017. Mark was the youngest of 4 siblings and is preceded in death by his brother Stephen Jackson, his father-in-law David Mayo, and his brothers-in-law Norman Carpenter and Kirby Nash. Mark is survived by his wife of 48 years, Mary Lou of Palm Harbor, a son Adam (Brittney) Jackson of Fort Irwin, CA; daughters Amanda (Gregg) Jones of Knoxville, TN and Alicia Jackson (Chris Bennett) of Miami; five grandsons, Braedon, Ewan, Rhys, Noel, and Jack; and granddaughter Claire. All were the light of his life, each filling his life with love, laughter and pride. Mark is also survived by his sisters, Jackie Carpenter and Faye Nash, his sister-in-law Teena Jackson, brothers-in-law John (Marilyn) Mayo and Michael (Kimberly) Mayo and his mother-in-law Elizabeth Mayo, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and his aunt. Mark loved to play golf and bantering with his bros, Pat Terrell, Brian Bergo and Edward Carrigan. A celebration of Mark’s life will be held at the White Chapel, 1190 Georgia Ave in Palm Harbor, FL 34683, on Saturday, February 8 at 11 am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Samaritan’s Purse, Wounded Warrior Project, or Suncoast Hospice Care Center.