Weldon Francis Jackson

Weldon Francis Jackson passed away peacefully at the age of 88 in St. George, Utah, not far from his childhood home, Fredonia, Arizona.

Weldon was born on July 20, 1937, in Kanab, Utah to Francis Weldon Jackson and Kathleen (Turner). He attended elementary and middle school in Fredonia, Arizona, and later, his family moved to Mesa, Arizona where he attended and graduated from Mesa High School. While there, he excelled in athletics, most notably as a key player on the football team.

His standout talent in football attracted the attention of several college scouts across the region. He was offered a scholarship to play football for Brigham Young University, where he played as a prominent fullback from 1956 to 1958. During his senior year in 1958, he set a BYU record for longest run from scrimmage with a 93 yard touchdown run against Fresno State, which he held for 45 years until 2003. That same year, he led the Skyline Conference and ranked third nationally with 698 rushing yards and an average of 6.9 yards per carry. He finished his collegiate career as the BYU program’s all-time career rushing leader with 1,449 yards, a record he held until 1962. He was also a conference champion in the broad jump for the BYU track team. In addition to excelling at football, track and basketball, Weldon was an excellent golfer and enjoyed his time with friends on the fairways in later years. He also played basketball for many years at the World Senior Games and cherished the friendships he made there.

While attending BYU, Weldon met his wife, Sharlene (Nelson). They were married on June 7, 1958, and a year later their first child, Chandra (Moss) was born. After graduating from college with a degree in mathematics, Weldon was offered a position with the Boeing company in Seattle, Washington. His children Camden (Hunt) and Eric were born during their time in Seattle. In the early 1970s, Weldon was transferred to the Boeing plant in Kent, Washington, where the family then moved and he and Sharlene resided until retiring in West Point, Utah.

Weldon was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and served in many callings. Shortly after he and his family arrived in Seattle, Weldon was called to be the bishop of the Seattle 4th ward. Many lifelong friendships were formed during this time. Weldon and his wife Sharlene were accomplished family historians and served at the Family History Center in Clearfield, Utah, and later, a full-time mission at the Family History Center in Salt Lake City. Most recently, Weldon served at the Ogden temple.

Weldon was a devoted brother to his only sibling, his sister Patricia (Wakefield). They shared a close bond especially after the passing of their spouses, spending time doing family history and temple work. He is the beloved grandfather of eight grandchildren (Tara, Danielle, Adrienne, Shaye, Marcus, Christopher, Ashley and Kendall) and six great grandchildren (Addison, Aiden, Penelope, Marceline, Oliver and Adelae.)

Those who knew Weldon were touched by his humble, caring nature and genuine interest in their lives. He will truly be missed.

Thank you to the staff at The Retreat at Sunbrook for making him feel like family this past year, and the nurses and aides at Renew Hospice for always being tender, loving and kind as they helped him transition from this life to the next.

A private graveside service will be held on Saturday, February 21, 2026, where he will be laid to rest alongside his beloved spouse, Sharlene, at the West Point City Cemetery.

Services entrusted to Lindquist's Syracuse Mortuary.