Barbara "BJ" Anne (O'Donnell) Jackson

Barbara “BJ” Anne O’Donnell Jackson, 77, of Pawnee City, Nebraska, passed away on Thursday, February 9, 2023, with her family by her side at the Pawnee County Memorial Hospital.  She was born on December 5, 1945, in Leicester, Massachusetts. Barb was always strong and independent, tuned up her own car, was mathematically astute, fiercely protective, and did not suffer bullies or fools gladly. She was always learning, sharing and teaching, and because of her wit, wisdom, and empathy, her circle of friends extends across the globe.

Barb was preceded in death by her parents, Olive (Dawson) and Roger O’Donnell; her sister, Eileen (Mike) Matthews; her mother-in-law, Charlotte Jackson, and father-in-law, Eugene Jackson; and her brother-in-law, Dave (Karen) Jackson.

She is survived by her husband of 54.5 years, Dr. Richard Jackson of Pawnee City, Nebraska, and by their son, Aaron Eugene Jackson, his wife, Renee Jenkins Jackson, and their two daughters, Avery and Elyse, all of Derby, Kansas. Barb also is survived by brothers Mike (Kate), Andy (Donna), Matthew (Herlinda), Martin, and Jeff (Sarah) and many nieces, nephews, fostered children, and countless friends. She also is survived by sisters-in-law Helen (Steve) Jordon, Ann (Dennis) Bodwin, Karen Paulson Jackson, and Karen (Phil) Caldwell, and brothers-in-law Mike (Jacque) Matthews, Kenny (Diane) Jackson and Mark (Linda) Jackson.

Olive, Roger and Barbara came to the Omaha area in 1948, when Roger was assigned to Offutt AFB. Barb attended St. Agnes and Holy Name Schools. She worked at the Florence Stables, confirming her love of horses. She graduated from Marian High in 1964, attended Kansas State University and then worked at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where she met her best friend, Rick Jackson, a medical student, in 1967. Barb and her brother, Mike, put together a rock band called “The Celery Man -- The Stalk of the Town,” and Barb was their Grace Slick.

Rick and Barb were married June 1, 1968. After Rick earned his M.D. and finished his internship, in 1970 they moved to Pawnee City, where Rick practiced family medicine for 50 years. When they arrived in Pawnee City, Barb got her first horse! And then her second horse! And then more! For some years she worked cattle with Pawnee livestock breeder Harold Thiemann for surrounding breeders and loved the horses and the duties they require. Son Aaron was born in 1978, and Barb was soon back in her saddle again. She rode almost daily until the summer of 2020, when multiple myeloma raised its ugly head. She held her own until the late fall of 2022 and spent her last three weeks at Pawnee County Memorial Hospital. 

Over those 52 years in Pawnee City, Barb amazed and dazed everyone. She was a tutor, a crafter, a painter, a peacemaker, a book reviewer, an activist and advocate for civil rights, women’s rights and gay rights, a lifelong PETA member, a fan of justice, a horse trainer, an equestrian pro and a mom and grandmother. She was a registered dairy goat farmer (Happy Feet Goat Farm), rescued and rehabbed three fawns, an owl, a hawk, and many other creatures. She rehabbed and re-homed countless dogs and cats of every size, shape and breed. She boarded horses, went on trail rides, broke horses, had her own cattle and pastured cattle for others. Barb ran the Lincoln Marathon in 1984 and shorter races in the '80's and was the co-organizer and timekeeper for the Pawnee Classic Run for decades. Barb is credited in an award-winning documentary, “The Brandon Teena Story,” by Greta Olafsdottir and Susan Muska, a film about the December 31, 1993,  murders of Brandon Teena and his friends near Humboldt, Nebraska. Barb was a cartoonist (B’s Pen) for the Pawnee Republican and covered the Humboldt trial for the newspaper. Barb wore Wildcat purple, not Husker red.

Rick and the family are so grateful to all their friends and the people of Pawnee City for all their love and support. There never will be another woman like Barb, and all who knew her have been blessed.

Memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Sunday, April 23, 2023 at the Schilling Bridge Winery, 62193 710th Road, Pawnee City, Nebraska, 68420, 402-852-2400.   Service will be live-streamed on WherryMortuary/Wherry Monument Facebook page, for those unable to attend. A link to the livestream is now available on the bottom of Barb's webpage.

Memorials to the Pawnee County Medical Foundation may be mailed to: Attn: Jennifer Bartels, 600 I Street, Pawnee City, NE  68420.

Online condolences may be left at www.wherrymortuary.com. 

Services entrusted to Wherry Mortuary, 919 G Street, Pawnee City, Nebraska. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Barbara "BJ" Anne (O'Donnell) Jackson, please visit our floral store.