Duane Winston Jackson

January 06, 1941 - March 09, 2010

Duane Winston Jackson Obituary Was born in Wilmington, North Carolina on January 6th 1941. He spent the majority of his life in South Florida. He moved to Spokane in the spring of 2006 to be closer to his children and grandchildren. He spent the last two years of his life at the Spokane Veterans Home, where he made many friends and touched numerous lives. He passed away with his family at his side, on March 9, 2010, after a 32-year battle with Parkinson's disease. Duane served in the United States Air Force from 1958 to 1962. His service included a remote assignment working on the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line followed by a stateside assignment to Homestead Air Force Base were he completed his service as an aircraft radioman. After his enlistment in the Air Force, he settled down with his family in Miami, Florida and worked at Eastern Airlines for 27 years as a Lead Radioman. Duane loved to fly and was once heard saying, "The day I got my pilot's license was the day I knew I could do anything I wanted". His love of flying resulted in the co-founding and co-ownership of Miami Avionics, based out of Opa-Locka Airport in Miami. As he prospered in business, he eventually owned and operated his own private airplanes, allowing him to share many adventures with his family doing what he loved most, flying. Medical issues, most significantly the diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease forced him into an early retirement, so he and his wife moved to Indian River Shores, Florida, spending 15 wonderful years on the Atlantic Ocean, treasure hunting, fishing, beach combing and forging new friendships. Duane was an accomplished and noted Poet, as well as a Patented Inventor, Artist, Pilot, Mechanic, and Avionics Technician. His mother and father Eunice and Wade Jackson preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife of 49 years Charlene, mother-in-law Sally Adler, two brothers Norman and Bill Jackson, two children Lindy Sue and Master Sergeant (ret.) Matthew Duane Jackson, daughter-in-law Technical Sergeant (ret.) Laura Jackson, three grandsons Boe, Duane, and Mark, three granddaughters Charlene, Sarah, and Samantha and his great-granddaughter Evie Lynn. A Funeral Service will be held on Monday, March 15, 2010 at 2:00pm at Heritage Funeral Chapel.