Robert Jackson

U.S. Veteran Memorial services will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, October 6, 2012, at Delhomme Funeral Home for Lt. Col (Ret) Robert McHugh Jackson, 87. He recently became ill and passed away at Lafayette General Medical Center on Tuesday, October 1, 2012, surrounded by his family. Robert Jackson was born in Memphis, TN and raised in Louisville, KY. He had a long career as a military man and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army. He enlisted in the Navy as a teenager and was among the amphibious forces deployed during 'D-Day' and the invasion of Normandy. Later he completed flight school in Oklahoma. He joined the U.S. Army as a pilot, flying in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He taught the first German flight school. He was a member of the Aerobatic flight team performing in air shows while enlisted in the Army. After retiring from the military, he flew for Petroleum Helicopters Inc. for many years until his retirement. Bob met his wife Susan Wheelan Jackson, an Army nurse, while they were both stationed in San Francisco, CA. Shortly after getting married, they were stationed in Germany. Once they returned to the States, they lived in many places before settling in Lafayette, LA. They shared many adventures and thoroughly enjoyed travelling. Over the course of their life together they travelled to Switzerland, Austria, China, Spain, Ireland, Europe, Africa, and New Zealand. Their true passion was sailing. They sailed their boat from New Orleans and Florida to many places including Cuba, the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos. Bob was preceded in death by his wife, Susan Elizabeth Wheelan Jackson. Survivors include one son, Rocky Jackson of Lafayette; three daughters, Bridget Huckabay and her husband, Hunter of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Susie Piccione Mitchell and her husband, Leonard of Lafayette, and Becky Clements and her husband, Mike of Los Angeles, California; eight grandchildren, Caroline Piccione, Jack Piccione, Harper Huckabay, Hunter Grace Huckabay, Jane Clements, Molly Clements, Kate Clements, and Courtney Weeks. Memorial contributions may be sent in the name of Robert Jackson to the Lafayette Parish Public Library, 301 West Congress Street, Lafayette, Louisiana 70506. Personal condolences may be sent to the Jackson family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com. Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA, is in charge of funeral arrangements.

Robert Jackson

November 18, 1924 - October 1, 2012