Joel West Jackson, age 47, died on March 29, 2019 at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, Woodbridge, Virginia.
He was born on June 14, 1971 to parents Joel and Barbara Jackson of Tampa Florida. At an early age they imparted their affinity for all things outdoors to Joel. Like most boys, he started with bicycles and skateboards, and soccer and swimming. These activities transitioned into hours of hunting and fishing with best friends Dave Martinez, Ryan Russell, and Rob Noguez as his modes of transportation morphed into motorcycles and Jeeps and air boats.
Upon graduation from University of South Florida in 2000 with a degree in Education, he took a teaching position at Twin Lakes Elementary School in Tampa. As a new teacher, his innate ability to connect with young children began his love affair with teaching, coaching, and mentoring. After 6 years teaching, Joel and Rob began a short career together in his second love â working with his hands remodeling kitchens and bathrooms and landscaping. Though this career would be short lived, he remained the steadfast do-it-yourselfer throughout the rest of his life.
In 2009 his love of teaching (and his soon to be wife Lisa) pulled him away from his beloved outdoor life in Florida and deposited him in Woodbridge Virginia. Shoveling 3 feet of snow off of his sidewalk that winter, he questioned out loud why anyone would want to live âup Northâ. The answer to that question was obvious â Lisa. So Joel became a Virginian, and accepted a position as a health and physical education teacher at the Department of Defense Schools at Quantico Marine Corps Base.
He and Lisa married on April 10, 2010 and soon began the journey of building their family together. Joel truly loved the outdoors and teaching, but his deepest passion was his family. He was a devoted teacher, a true family man and a loving father. He imparted his love of the outdoors to his son Ethan at every opportunity; teaching him at an early age the joys of escaping the confines of the indoors. Together they built a tree house, a zip line and a swing set for Carly. He taught him to shoot a bow and arrow, ride a motorcycle, play baseball, and engaged in countless other father-son activities.
And it is true what they say about the special bond between fathers and daughters. Carly could easily melt away the tough veneer of this outdoorsman with a simple hug and a kiss. Carly would quickly transform Joel into his gentle side where he would spend hours pushing a swing or pulling a wagon, reading an endless volume of stories âjust one more book daddyâ, having a tea party, playing Princess, or just snuggling under a blanket on the couch to watch her favorite cartoon show.
His family and friends will always remember him as a man who loved to fix it himself, laughed heartily, lived fully, and adored his family. Joel is survived by his wife, Lisa Jackson; his son, Ethan Jackson; his daughter Carly Jackson; his parents Joel and Barbara Jackson and his sister, Rachel Hambrick with her husband Aaron Hambrick and their two children, Pheobe and Adam of Illinois; his extended family, in-laws Marsha and Charles Swanson, Leslianne and David Grendysz, and Ryan Swanson, all of Woodbridge, VA and Matthew and Carrie Swanson of Charlotte, NC, along with 2 nieces and 6 nephews.
Joelâs visitation will be at Miller Funeral Home located at 3200 Golansky Blvd on Thursday, April 4, 2019 from 6-8 pm. A funeral is scheduled for Friday, April 5, 2019 at 11 am at Sacred Heart Catholic Church located at 12975 Purcell Rd, Manassas, VA 20112, with interment immediately after the service. A reception will follow and all are welcome to attend and celebrate Joel’s life.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Down Syndrome Association of Northern Virginia (https://www.dsanv.org) or to the Arc of Greater Prince William (https://arcgpw.org).
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