Bill E. Jackson

Bill E. Jackson

March 7, 1945 – October 27, 2020


Bill Jackson, age 75, of Maitland, Florida passed away unexpectedly due to injuries that occurred while cycling on a local trail. The exact cause of the accident is unknown. Bill was blessed with excellent health, and cycling was one of his favorite sports.

Bill was born in Orlando, Florida, at Orange Memorial Hospital (now Orlando Regional Hospital) to parents Bill and Mae Jackson. Although Bill lived and traveled to many other locations, he maintained a lifetime residency in the Central Florida area.

Just prior to first leaving Orlando for his freshman year at Tennessee Technological University, Bill met his future wife, Alice Bilotta Jackson, on a summer evening in 1964 and a wonderful, loving life journey began.

In 1968 as the draft and Viet Nam enveloped the country, Bill's university education was put on hold. He enlisted in the USN and served as a Nuclear Reactor Operator on the fast attack submarine SSN Bluefish. While on a brief Navy leave in December 1968, Bill and Alice were married at the Orlando Navy Base Chapel. One of the many blessings of their 51 year marriage was spending the first year of their marriage in Hawaii due to Bill's Navy assignment to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Bill completed his active duty Navy service in 1973. He then attended the University of Florida where he received his Bachelors degree in Civil Engineering and a Masters in Geotechnical Engineering. In 1977 Bill began his 43 year professional career at Ardaman and Associates, a division of Tetra Tech, Inc. He was still actively employed at the time of his passing. Bill was passionate about his engineering work and loved what he did. He was loved and will be missed by his Ardaman family. Mentoring new engineers, helping others, and taking time to give recognition to the work of others meant the world to him.

While working as a geotechnical engineer at Ardaman, Bill also had a continuing interest in the Navy and made the decision to return to the Navy as a Reserve Officer in the Seabees, retiring in 2005 as a Commander in the Naval Reserves.

Bill was dedicated to his family and spent time away from work enjoying many activities including cycling, boating of every type, golfing, fishing, and Gator football games. He was always up for an adventure with his wife, daughters, grandchildren and family. He loved learning new things and shared his interests and mentored others. Bill was a quiet observer and was always looking out for others. He was a humble honest man who always put family first. He was a loving and much loved husband, and an incredible father, grandfather, uncle and brother in-law. He will be very deeply missed.

Bill is survived by his wife, Alice, daughters, Amy and Martha, son-in law Lucien, and grandchildren Ty and Lucien "L.J." as well as his sister, Mary Jackson Hale.

Those who wish may make contributions in memory of Bill's memory to the UF Health Shands Children's Hospital Child Life Program Fund.

To share your memories of Bill, or to leave a special message for his family, please visit the guestbook below.

Click the image below to watch Bill E. Jackson service.