In Memory

Rickey E. Jackson - Class Of 1989

Rickey died on 8/11/2000, after only a year with the Albemarle County Police Department. He was 30, and he died of heart failure after suffering a viral infection a year and a half before that left his heart weakened. Those of us who grew up with him know he raced dirtbikes when he was younger, and did stunt riding on both bmx bikes and skateboards. He was a charter member of Skyline Schwinn Bicycle Team, and I remember watching them perform at First Night Virginia when we were teenagers. He was also colorblind, but studied art at VCU, and he was a personal fitness trainer and competitive bodybuilder. He joined the police department after his sister, Toni, was kidnapped (and later recovered). My brother was so excited when he joined and said he was a great officer who truly loved his job. He was in great shape at our 10th reunion, and I cried when I found out he had died. They had to have his memorial service at Lane Auditorium because so many people attended. He had a lot of friends and was a genuinely nice person. (Written by a friend of his - Heather Scott.)