From the day Jackson was born I felt so much love in my heart. He was such a cute, sweet and cuddly baby. Even as a toddler Jackson had a smile, that slowly turned into a giggle and eventually it would become an infectious laugh. I loved Jackson’s sense of humor. We would laugh over something that wasn’t really that funny to anyone else and that just made us laugh that much harder.
I remember Jackson and his sister Ella playing in the leaves in the front yard as Grandpa and I raked and made piles. Jackson laid there with his eyes closed taking in the pure joy of the moment.
Jackson loved being outside, regardless if he was playing on the sandy beaches of California or building a snowman or a snow fort in the cold winter of Nebraska. Jackson also loved Nebraska football the same as his dad and we would cheer them on, and cheer we did. If we lost he always said, “well there is always next year.”
Jackson loved the holidays from New Years to the following Christmas and everything in between. Aunt Cathy and Uncle Jamie hosted Thanksgiving and we would all participate in the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot Race in Denver every year. Jackson ran in the race regardless if the weather was warm and sunny or cold and snowy.
Jackson also loved Christmas and he always made a game out of guessing before the gift was even opened that it was a white box (this usually indicated some sort of clothing) and his younger cousins would follow suit. Sometimes we would wear ugly sweaters and other times Christmas pajama’s and Jack always joined in with a sense of joy.
We celebrated the 4th of July shooting off fireworks in our neighborhood. Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and both sets of grandparents were there and Grandpa Scott would aways bring a few larger fireworks to shoot off too. When the Country Club fireworks started we would often go there to watch and Jackson was just as comfortable laying on a blanket watching the fireworks with wonder, as he was laying on that pile of leaves with pure joy on his face.
When Jackson was a freshman and left for college in Oregon I called him and asked him how he was doing. I asked him about his friends he was making and Jackson told me, “Grandma I pick my friends carefully.” I knew some of his friends in Kearney and I knew this was true. I then had the pleasure of going to Oregon for Jackson’s college graduation and I met many of his Oregon friends and I realized that Jackson really did choose his friends carefully, as they were as great as his friends in Kearney. It was nice to know that Jackson really did pick his friends carefully. I knew that if you called yourself his friend, he chose you because he really cared for you. He was blessed to have so many true friends.
Jackson loved his parents, and sister Ella with a love that he was never afraid to show. He loved his grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and even his friends and you knew he did because he told you he did.
Some may wonder what Jackson would have done or accomplished in the future because his future was so bright. But I don’t wonder, because Jackson would have done what he always did. He would love his family, choose his friends wisely and be a good friend, he would work hard, be honest, he would be kind and humble to others. And, he would look at the world like the little boy laying on the pile of leaves in his grandparents yard, closing eyes and seeing the world with pure joy and a sense of wonder.
Jackson, I loved you yesterday, I love you today and I will love you forever.
Love Grandma Sue
August 31, 2026