Don M. Jackson Jr.

Don M. Jackson Jr., PhD was born in Kansas City, Missouri in July of 1934, and passed away in April of 2025 in Glendale, Arizona surrounded by family. He graduated from Southeast High School in Kansas City and attended William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri on both athletic and academic scholarships. An outstanding athlete as well as scholar, he played football and ran track at William Jewell. On his first play in college football as a freshman, he scored an 85-yard touchdown. His 1952 football team is a member of the William Jewell Sports Hall of Fame. He graduated with an A.B. degree in Physics. While at William Jewell, he met and married his wife, Barbara. He graduated from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa with an M.S. degree in physics. While at Iowa State, he worked for the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission where he was honored to work with several scientists from the Manhattan Project. He later worked at the Ames Laboratory doing research in solid state physics including experimental analysis of hyper-pure rare earth metals. He then joined the staff of General Electric’s Advanced Electronic Center in Ithaca, New York. He became involved at the time with the development of the epitaxial growth of silicon and metallic film technology and established a complete semiconductor facility at the Center. He later joined Motorola Inc. in Phoenix, Arizona and was active in all phases of epitaxial research, instrumentation, and production. While at Motorola, he was a named inventor on eight patents, was named a Dan Noble Fellow (Motorola’s highest technical honor), and was responsible for establishing the world’s first fully automated epitaxial wafer manufacturing facility. During his time at Motorola, he also received an MBA and a PhD in electrical engineering from Arizona State University. Over the years he was an author of more than 30 technical publications, primarily on semiconductor wafer fabrication. He was a founder and president of ASM America and while there, successfully commercialized multiple innovative lines of semiconductor fabrication and test equipment. He also established a funded research and development partnership that launched a successful line of epitaxial reactors for the company. He later formed a venture capital firm and became involved over the years as an investor, board member, advisor, and executive officer with several high-tech companies in the Phoenix area, California, Canada, and Asia. He was also a member of the adjunct staff at the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management of Technology at ASU. Upon retirement in his early seventies, he enjoyed teaching physics for several years as an adjunct professor at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona.

He was a member of Kappa Alpha Order; the honor societies Aeons, Kappa Mu Epsilon, Sigma Pi Sigma, and Sigma Xi; the IEEE; the Electrochemical Society; the American Association of Crystal Growth; the Presidents Association of the American Management Association; and Valley Forward. He was chairman of the Arizona council of the American Electronics Association (AEA) and served on the board of the AEA. He was a member of the ASU Dean of Engineering Advisory Council, worked with the Phoenix Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth, and served 11 years with the Scottsdale Little League. He was the recipient of the William Jewell Citation of Achievement, the Arizona Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and the ASU Alumni Achievement Award.

He served in the U.S. Navy reserves for eight years and was the proud son of a Naval Officer who served in the Pacific during WWII. He was a pilot and held instrument and multi-engine ratings. He enjoyed running, hiking, weightlifting, swimming, racquetball, and spending time with his beloved dogs. He was an avid reader with particular interests in history and science fiction and was a world traveler. He was a collector of Native American art and the works of artist Bill Freeman, who was a neighbor for many years. He was active for many years in his church where he served as pastor and counselor, and helped establish Whispering Pines Camp in Prescott, Arizona.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his wife, and his sister. He is survived by his youngest sister, his three children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Of all his achievements, he was most proud of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and was very vested in their lives.

Don had a great sense of humor and an infectious laugh. He was a cherished role model to his family and many others. He carried his good nature and positive outlook all the way to the end.

The family extends its thanks to the wonderful staff at Thunderbird Senior Living and Ovation Hospice for their excellent care of Don.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Don’s honor to the Humane Society.