DE GRAFF — Howard (Bud) and Jenean Jackson are lifelong residents of Logan County and have been in the De Graff community for 57 of their 64 years of marriage.
The Jackson’s have been named the Grand Marshall’s of this year’s De Graff Country Fair.
All but the last six months were spent in their farmhouse on top of “Hilltop Acres”, a 100 acre farm where they raised corn, beans, livestock, their four children and a niece and a nephew. They are now enjoying life in a new home on the farm.
Along with their four children, the family has grown to include 12 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Due to the sense of community they instilled in the family, all but four of their descendants still live in Logan County.
Bud and Jenean find themselves very involved in the community. Together they owned and operated Jackson Livestock for 16 years. This passion started with Bud’s parents and family back in the ’30s. Both have been involved with the auction business for 47 years, including volunteering at the Heartland of Bellefontaine Christmas tree auction for over 15 years as well as several other volunteer fund raising auction sales and baked goods auctions. They have been members of the Miami Grange for over 50 years as well as being involved with Farm Bureau and the Logan County Cattlemen’s Association. Gretna Brethren Church has been their church home for all of their adult lives.
Bud and Jenean have been very involved with the Riverside School District since 1960. Besides supporting their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren in academics, arts, and sports, the early ’70s even saw them chaperoning junior class trips (if you call turning a blind eye chaperoning).
Bud supported the family by driving truck for Super Foods for 42 years. Every IGA store in the state and some in neighboring states had good things to say about Bud. When he wasn’t hard at work, he would be dealing livestock, farming, attending Mason lodge meetings at the Boggs Lodge, and serving on the Federal IGA Credit Union Board of Directors as well as the Logan County Senior Fair Board for several years.
Jenean was a staple at the school, driving school bus for over 30 years. Anyone attending Riverside during the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s would know Mrs. Jackson and always have a kind word, unless they were unruly. Jenean also served on the Riverside Board of Education for eight years and was an Ohio Reads volunteer. Outside the school, Jenean worked in Real Estate, volunteered as a State Certified Paramedic for the Riverside EMS for 10 plus years, served as the secretary for the Roush and Allied Family Reunion for 30 years, and is presently a member of the De Graff Garden Club. Jenean was also on the visionary committee for the start of the De Graff Country Fair.
Today, Bud and Jenean’s passion remains with their family. They also enjoy traveling and following their three horses to the many county fairs and horse racing circuits around the state. When they are not traveling, you can find them at the Creamery in De Graff, sitting around the “Liars Table”, telling stories and jokes they always have and always will be known for.
