On Sunday, September 7th Walter "Lee" Jackson (84), of Buckhorn, went home to the Lord, where he longed to be. Lee was born to Walter and Doris Jackson on August 12, 1941 in Albuquerque, NM. The family moved to Grant County in 1947 when his dad went to work for Kennecott/Chino in Hurley. Lee grew up in Apache Tejo with his five siblings. Lee grew up showing FFA animals at both the Cliff-Gila Grant County Fair and NM State Fair through which he learned a great deal from Ag Teacher Dwight Houston. He attended and graduated from Cobre High School in 1960 where he was quite a football player. He earned All-South, All-State and All-American his senior year. Lee was offered a college football scholarship to North Texas University.
He worked for the Gas Company of New Mexico before becoming a pipe fitter for Phelps Dodge first in Arizona and then in Hurley. He spent most of his adult life as a butcher, working for DPac in Deming and going on to run his own butcher shops "Last Chance" in Pinos Altos and then "Uncle Lee's" in Arenas Valley. After retiring, he spent a short time living in Mimbres but spent the last five years of his life in Buckhorn raising "spoiled beef". He firmly believed the more you spoiled those feeder calves, the more tender the meat would be.
Lee is survived by his two daughters Shawna Jackson-Burns (Nic) of San Antonio, TX and Samantha Jackson of Arenas Valley. Grandchildren Sierra Jackson (Rhett) of San Antonio, TX, Jason Johnson, Caleb Johnson, and McKenzie "MJ" Johnson all of Silver City, and great grandsons Tucker Kutza, and Gabriel and Axel Ramos of San Antonio, TX. Brothers Roy (Patty) Jackson of Arenas Valley, Norman (Carrie) Jackson of Abilene, TX and numerous nieces and nephews.
Lee is preceded in death by his parents Walter and Doris Jackson, brother Charlie Jackson and his wife Clara, sisters Marilyn Moreland and husband Omega, and Polly Ward. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the food pantry at Frontier Gospel Ministries in Buckhorn or Thriving Hope Pregnancy Center in Thatcher, AZ., Indian Springs Ranch in Mimbres. Lee was an avid supporter of both organizations.
Cremation will take place at Terrazas Crematory. Arrangements are with Terrazas Funeral Chapels and Crematory "Trust care for the ones you love" ~ 575-537-0777. To send condolences, visit www.terrazasfuneralchapel.com.
