James (JT) Thomas Jackson

JT tried a number of sports including soccer, basketball and football. Even though he was nearly 6 foot tall and 230 pounds, he was a diminutive boy growing up. In fact, while playing recreational football, he was the smallest kid on the team. One day, his team was playing a game against Mitchell. Mitchell had huge players on their team including Seth Wilfred (who at the time of writing this plays offensive line for Auburn). Most of the players on JT’s team were much smaller and were getting hurt playing against the larger Mitchell team. Worried, JT looked at his coach and asked if they were going to send him out to play. The coach assured him that he was safe on the side lines.

JT went to Geil Elementary School where his favorite teacher was Mrs. Harrison. She made a loving and lasting impression on JT that he never forgot. He was always a kind and soft-hearted boy. His parents never heard a disparaging word from a teacher about his behavior. Another amazing teacher that JT had was Mrs. Unick, who not only touched his heart, but nominated him for the Bulldog Award. A lot of kids win the award every month of every year, but it is doubtful that anyone has ever worked so hard and wanted it as badly as JT did. The family was so proud that the award was displayed on the lawn for everyone to see.

Over the years, JT had a wide assortment of wonderful friends, several of which became his best friends while in elementary school. One of his best friends from elementary school was Trenton Brunner. They remained close until JT’s untimely death. Another best friend from elementary was Brylee Enlow. Brylee and JT were inseparable and played for hours upon hours at his house reenacting WWE moves on the trampoline. A third friend who befriended JT in kindergarten and who was a key person in his life was Cayden Arntt. As previously mentioned, JT was a kind and soft hearted kid. Cayden was not as soft and was quick to step up to confront anyone that messed with JT. JT’s parents were well at ease knowing that he had such close friends to look out for him.

JT continued on through school to the Gering Junior High School where he met two more close friends, Austin Kizzire and Jason Enlow. JT and Austin became the best of friends to the point that they even shared a graduation party. JT had a lot of fun in junior high school. With the change in schools, JT also changed his mind about what he wanted to do as an adult. It was while in junior high that much to the chagrin of his father, JT took an interest in ventriloquism. He and his mother even went to a Jeff Dunham show. JT loved Jeff Dunham’s comedy, but the career aspiration of playing with puppets was short lived.

JT attended and graduated from Gering High School, graduating in 2024. While there, he got his first car. The car was a hand-me down car from his sister Ashley, who had upgraded to a Jeep Wrangler. JT was a very careful driver so much so that his parent never worried about speeding tickets. When Ashley again upgraded her two door to a four door Wrangler, he stepped into Ashley’s two door Wrangler. He didn’t like the Jeeps nearly as much as Ashley did. Not long after, JT got a Ford Ranger Pickup. He loved his Ranger and swore that he would never get rid of it. Jakoby, on the other hand, who was relegated to the jump seats in the back, was not fond of the Ranger at all.

JT started working when he was 15 at the Mixing Bowl. His family would regularly go to eat at the Mixing Bowl to see him. While at work, he was only thinking about work. JT would try his hardest to ignore his family and focus on bussing tables and washing dishes. Being ignored, only fueled the flames of the family to try to get JT to look at them. He was resolute in his focus of his job. When he got old enough to work at Runza, he began working there instead. He was later joined by his best friends, Austin, Jason, and his new friend, Will Gustafson. JT worked at Runza until the opportunity of more money drew him to Starbucks. He was happy with the pay, but the vapid emptiness of making pumpkin spice lattes for girls dressed like Han Solo, had him looking for something more fulfilling. He found that job at Pete’s Quick Lube. JT thoroughly enjoyed working at Pete’s.

JT loved spending time with Austin, Jason and Will. They would cruise for hours into the night. He and his friends started playing disc golf. Having a disc golf course next door was an added bonus. JT would go out and play with his friends, his dad, and often by himself. The day before his death, JT and his father, played disc golf at Chadron State Park. The course is difficult because of the trees and the terrain. It is also quite a hike. During that hike, he and his father talked about life and the future. He mentioned that he might go to college the following year. At the conclusion of the game, JT went to a store and bought a putter disc, he was so happy to have a disc that his friend’s didn’t have. He said that he was so excited to get his friends up to Chadron to play the course. JT told his father that they could earn a putter by playing the Chadon State Park Course. In late September of 2024, after his passing, JT’s father and friends went to Chadron State Park and played a round of disc golf in his honor and have vowed to make the course an annual event.

On the morning of August 12, 2024, JT was heading to work at Pete’s Quick Lube, driving the speed limit on Kimball Avenue in Gering. A deranged degenerate, Gideon Brunner, who was high and intoxicated was driving over forty MPH over the speed limit. Gideon rammed into the back of JT’s Ranger, causing it to roll and catch fire. JT was trapped in the Ranger and died from his injuries. Gideon was ejected from his pickup and was taken to the hospital. Justice for the murder of JT would never take place in a courtroom. Gideon died at the hospital from the injuries sustained in the accident and never had to face the realities and consequences of his actions.

JT’s funeral was held at Westway Church and was attended by hundreds of people whose lives had been touched by JT and his family. The procession from the church to his burial at Westlawn Cemetery was the longest procession in the history of the church.

JT’s favorite song was Katy Perry’s song “Teenage Dream”. The mantra for JT’s memory is, “18 Forever”.