David Clark Jackson (BS ’79) pursued his interest in mechanical engineering both in his professional life and through his hobbies. After graduating from TU, he worked on an Indy Car Racing Team in Indiana, then returned to Tulsa and worked for Tulsa Winch Group, serving for 27 years before retiring as vice president of engineering. (Before attending TU, Jackson had served in the United States Marine Corps and earned two Purple Hearts while honorably serving in the Vietnam War.)

Jackson was married to Johnna Coventon Jackson for 42 years, enjoying a happy marriage filled with travel and adventure. Weekends often found them pursuing David’s passion of racing Formula Vs and Formula Fords, which he had designed and built himself. They also were avid golfers who traveled all over the world enjoying that hobby with friends.

David and Johnna demonstrated their dedication to TU with many generous gifts supporting the TU Annual Fund for the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the TU Annual Fund for the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the TU Annual Fund, and the Golden Hurricane Champions Fund, dating back to 1983.

David and Johnna passed away within months of each other in 2013. Thomas E. “Tom” Naugle and Ronald L. “Ron” Hoffman of Tulsa Winch Group credit David with helping their business to grow and prosper through his engineering expertise, and they have been inspired by his life story.

In 2014, Tom Naugle and his wife, Barbara, partnered with Ron Hoffman to establish The David and Johnna Jackson Memorial Endowed Scholarship in Mechanical Engineering in memory of their esteemed colleague and his wife.

Barbara Naugle passed away in 2018 and Tom Naugle died in 2021, leaving a legacy of love for their family to cherish and a legacy of academic opportunity for TU’s deserving mechanical engineering students.