‘Tone’ Jackson Dies; Longtime Sitkan was 71

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Category: Obituaries

Created on Friday, 14 February 2025 15:37

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Curtis “Tone” Jackson

Curtis “Tone” Jackson was born November 15, 1953, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and died on January 10, 2025, from complications related to recent heart surgery.

Tone first came to Alaska in the spring of 1972 with the Gregg family, who had taken him into their home during his late adolescent years in New Mexico. He spent most of the following decade spending summers in Southeast Alaska fishing, hunting, and logging, while returning to New Mexico to work various seasonal jobs during the winters.

It was in New Mexico during the winter of 1979 that he met the love of his life, Jamie, and her son, Patrick. Tone and Jamie passed the winter swing dancing at the local country club and enjoying each other’s company. When it came time for Tone to head back to Alaska, Jamie and Patrick joined him. They hit the road together, traveling from New Mexico to Alaska with  all their belongings, Patrick, and husky, Sass, in his 1972 stepside Chevy pickup truck via the ALCAN highway.

Tone and Jamie were married October 4, 1982, in a cabin outside of Haines near Mud Bay. Soon afterward, they moved to Sitka for the birth of their daughter, Kaili. They settled in Sitka and called it home for more than 40 years.

In 1984, Tone started Jackson Drywall, a highly regarded Sitka-based drywall and painting company. In 2002, Patrick joined the company as a co-owner, and the father/son team worked together until Tone retired in 2016.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, Tone also fished commercially for halibut during the “derby days” aboard his vessel, the F/V Kaili Mae – an 18-foot open skiff. This earned him halibut IFQs when the fishery changed in 1995 and he continued to fish commercially each season until 2018.

 Tone loved living in Alaska; he enjoyed the Alaskan lifestyle by spending the years hiking, hunting, and fishing. His passions included boating, mooching the kelp beds for king salmon,  and more recently re-learning the favorite game of his youth, billiards. But he loved nothing more than his family and his dogs - Sass, Mesa, Reba, Melvin, and Annie.

Tone is survived by Jamie Jackson, his wife of 42 years; sister Shepley (Lee) Zahn; brothers-in-heart Tim and Michael Gregg; children Patrick (Amber) Swedeen and Kaili (Brian) Nielsen; and grandchildren Yvonne Wilkes, James Swedeen, Carter Swedeen,  Dylan Nielsen, Neva Nielsen, as well as four great-grandchildren.

Tone was preceded in death by his father, Shannon Jackson; mother, Joan Keith; his step-dad Jim and wife Rose Keith; mother in heart Mary Gregg; brother Michael Jackson; and brothers-in-heart CW and Jon Gregg.

A celebration of life will be planned for a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to SAIL (Southeast Alaskans for Independent Living), which has made a significant impact on Jamie and Tone’s quality of life for several years.

Tone’s family wishes to emphasize a special thank you to all of the close friends and family who have contributed love and support over the years.

“Words cannot express how invaluable your role in our lives has been,” they said. “Thank you.”

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