Lester Jackson, or better known as Dean Jackson, is a golfer, basketball player, baseball player, coach, farmer, teacher, traveler, husband, father, and grandpa. Dean is 72 years old and still living life to the fullest. 

In grade school, Dean committed his time to athletics. Basketball and baseball were his passion and he worked very hard to achieve his goals. He was much smaller than everyone else, but that only instilled a determination to work harder to compensate for the kids bigger than he was. Going into high school, he was four feet and eleven inches tall. “I had to give it all I had the best I knew how to,” Dean said. He was very focused and concentrated on sports and perfecting skills. Dean’s coaches were Connie Allen, Bennie Greenwalt, and Curt Englebright. These coaches were very influential on Dean’s work ethic and attitude in practices and games. “If you get 15th or 7th or 2nd, you don’t go home and moan and groan. You go home and practice and do better for the next time,” Dean proudly stated. His hard work paid off, though. He went on to play basketball at Rend Lake College, and on April 18, 2015, was inducted into Rend Lake’s Sports Hall of Fame.

After his successful athletic career, Dean decided he wanted to continue participating in sports on a recreational basis. He took up golfing, and he got both of his son-in-laws started as well. He now enjoys watching his grandson, Nate Caudle, on the University of Southern Indiana Men’s Golf Team. Dean takes great pride in coaching Nate during his high school career. Dean has hit two hole-in-ones in his lifetime and has played golf with Jimmy Conners, the best tennis player in the world. He even has a photo of them playing together hanging on his wall.

Athletics have been a huge part of Dean’s life, but his greatest achievement is his family. He and his wife, Juanice Jackson, have four children together. All four children graduated with college degrees and three of the four were valedictorians. Dean is a great husband, father to four children, and grandpa to eight grandchildren. 

Dean is mainly known for his career as a mathematics teacher at Wayne City High School. He has taught numerous students within his 25 years of teaching. Dean said, “Teaching the upper level math classes was very enjoyable. A lot of my students went on to have successful careers and lives and that gives me pleasure.”

As a 72 year old man, Dean still enjoys golfing and spending time with his family. In addition to those, he loves to travel and experience new adventures. One of his favorite places is Las Vegas, Nevada. He enjoys being able to travel there often to golf and watch shows. He has seen shows such as Wayne Newton, Terry Fator, David Copperfield, Blue Man Group, and Cirque du Soleil. Dean Jackson’s life has been nothing short of success, happiness, and adventures.