Dean Christopher Jackson

Dean Christopher Jackson

Cedar Rapids

Dean Christopher Jackson of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died on December 24, 2023, just hours short of his 57th birthday. He had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2019 and courageously battled this devastating disease for almost five years. Dean died at home, surrounded by his wife, children, and son-in-law. Visitation will take place from 4 – 8 p.m. Friday, December 29, 2023, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Cedar Rapids. A funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, December 30, 2023, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids.

Dean was born December 25, 1966, in Bryan, Ohio to Dennis and Janet (Lillich) Jackson. He graduated from Bryan High School in 1985, where he still holds the record in track for the 800-meter run. He was a collegiate athlete and graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Dean worked for XPO Logistics (previously CCX/Con-way Freight) for nearly 34 years, with his final position as Terminal Manager in Cedar Rapids. Dean credited much of his career success to the amazing work force at XPO: their tremendous work ethic, the fact that they would do anything for you, and, most importantly, the lifelong friendships he forged there.

Dean met the love of his life, Stacey Pawlak, in 1988, when they both worked at the same restaurant during college. Their first date was on October 6, 1988. They married on July 18, 1992, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He is survived by his wife and their children: Claire (Sam) Halton, Liv Jackson, and Vaughn Jackson; father, Dennis Jackson; and siblings, Dawn (Brad) Ross of Scottsdale, Arizona, David (Debby) Jackson of Delton, Michigan, Diane (Bruce) Blake of Whitehouse, Ohio, Dana (Jeff) Vinson of Hamilton, Indiana, and Debbie (Dan) Vermillion of Edgerton, Ohio.

He was preceded in death by his eldest son, Gage Gabriel Jackson, who died in 2006 at the age of five, and his mother, Janet Jackson, who also died of pancreatic cancer in 2019.

Dean did not allow cancer to take away the important things in his life. He will be remembered for his incredible loyalty, great sense of humor, and love of the outdoors. He enjoyed spending time with loved ones more than anything. Family vacations and hunting trips with friends were never boring and usually a laugh a minute. The stories from both will probably be told for generations. Dean also enjoyed hiking, fishing, training his hunting dogs, trying new restaurants with the family, and extended motorcycle rides across North America.

He was a Board Member for the Hawkeye Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and was an avid elk hunter.

In the end Dean died how he lived: laughing, joking, and telling funny stories about his life's events. And, of course, fighting for every breath. A special thank-you to the staff at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics (UIHC) Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dean often said, "God has a plan for all of us, and we don't always get a farewell tour." Thanks to the tireless work of the staff at UIHC, his farewell tour lasted several years longer than expected.

Memorials may be directed to family and will be used for pancreatic cancer research at the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

Please share a memory of Dean at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.