David Merle Jackson

David Merle Jackson, 77 of Mankato, died February 1, 2020 at The Willows at Arbor Lakes Senior Living in Maple Grove, Minnesota.

Memorial service will be held 2:00p.m., Sunday, February 9, 2020 at Northview~North Mankato Mortuary, 2060 Commerce Dr., in North Mankato with visitation one hour prior to the service.  Interment will be held at Fort Snelling National Cemetery at a later date. David requested memorials be given to Mayo Hospice in Mankato.

David was born December 5, 1942 to Merle and Hazel Jackson in Spirit Lake, IA. During the first five years of his life, while his father served our country in the military, David lived with his mother and various aunts and uncles in and around the Flandreau, SD area. He attended grade school at District 60, a one-room schoolhouse and succeeding years at Jackson High School, Jackson, MN. He graduated in 1960.

In December 1960, he joined the United States Air Force. He served as an aircraft hydraulics specialist, mostly on B-52s. He was honorably discharged in December 1964. In 1965, he attended college during the fall and winter quarters and worked construction during the spring and summer months. When the GI Bill was granted, he attended school full-time at Mankato State College, now Minnesota State University, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a Bachelors and Master’s degree in Biology.  He worked on a Ph.D. in Biology at New Mexico State University for three years.

In 1969, he married Judith Hoppe in Mankato. They later divorced.  In 1981, he married Colleen Lease and they have resided in rural River Heights Mankato since that time.

David’s career involved five years as a seed superintendent with AGCO Inc, Mesquite, NM, two years as agronomist for Ramy Seed Company, and fourteen years as owner and operator of Medi-Rental Inc. in Mankato. In 1997, the business was sold and he finished out his working years with MICO Inc. in North Mankato.  In June 2001, he retired.

David enjoyed wood carving, and became an accomplished wildfowl decoy maker.  In addition he enjoyed traveling, helping his friends, and occasionally hunting. He was especially proud of helping his friend, Tom Hagen, restore a log cabin on Mr. Hagen’s property. He also monitored the Maple River for the Blue Earth County Soil and Water Conservation District for several years.

David is survived by his wife, Colleen; daughter, Amy Jackson; step-children, Cynthia (RobTotillo) Day, Jennifer (Greg Buck) Thompson, Kelly (Jerry) Scott, Brent (Michelle) Lease, and Troy (Rhonda) Lease; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; siblings, Jan (John) Fisher, Cheryl Jackson, and Robert Jackson; and many nieces, nephews, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents.