William J. Jackson Jr.

William J. Jackson, Jr. “Bill,” 92, of East Weymouth, passed away July 29 peacefully, surrounded by his family. Devoted husband of the late Caroline Jackson for 47 years. Beloved father to Patricia Owens and her husband Tom of Hanover; the late Linda Jackson; Lynn Clement and her husband Bob of Norwell; William Jackson, III, of Scituate; the late Paula Cazeault and her husband Jon of Kingston; Mary Conway and her husband Stephen of Weymouth; Amy Green and her husband Brian of Kingston, James Jackson and his wife Kate of Hanover, and Deborah Zarick and her husband Fred of Norwell. Cherished “Jiddoo” to his grandchildren Kate, Krissy, Joey, Sarah, Emma, Adam, Evan, Alex, Kayla, Caroline, Paul, Ryan, Allison, and Jenna, and “Super Jiddoo” to his great grandchildren Mia, Nolan, Audra, Cal, Noah, Evan, Vivian, and P.J.

Bill was a standout football player (#47) for Weymouth High School in the 1940s. Later on, he served as the high school’s announcer at football games, where both of his sons also played football for Weymouth High. Bill received full-ride football scholarships to the Admiral Billard Academy prep school in Connecticut and to the College of the Holy Cross. He left college early to serve his country in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He also worked at New England Telephone for 25 years before retiring early to become a commercial lobsterman fishing 750 traps on Boston Harbor.

In 1968, Bill and Caroline purchased a cottage on Minot Beach which they dubbed “The Anchorage” – a name that has held up over the years as a true summer haven for several generations of family and friends.  At the Anchorage, he was Captain Barnacle Bill, a salty dog attuned to the tides and the subtlest shift in wind direction. He loved spending time on his boat, the “Mugwump,” fishing the ledges around Minot Light or pulling his lobster traps with his children and grandchildren.

Bill knew the entire “Fiddler on the Roof” soundtrack by heart, often exclaiming “to life, to life, l’chaim!” whenever he found cause to celebrate. Whether it was his family congregating at his house to watch the Patriots every Sunday or hanging out with him on the front porch rockers at the beach, he would say those days spent together were just “wonna-ful.”

Calling hours 3 p.m.-7 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 6 at McDonald Keohane Funeral Home in South Weymouth. Funeral services 10:30 a.m., Monday, Aug. 7 at Immaculate Conception Church in Weymouth. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Weymouth Food Pantry or any charity of your choice.