Airman First Class Benjamin David Jackson, USAF, age 20, was killed in a motorcycle accident on April 13, 2018 in Misawa, Japan.

Ben was born June 1, 1997 in Chesapeake, VA and grew up in New Glarus, WI. He graduated from New Glarus High School in 2016. Ben participated in several sports, including cross country, baseball and golf. He loved snowboarding with his brother and friends.

Ben enlisted in the Delayed Entry Program for the US Air Force prior to his senior year and left for Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX in September 2016. Upon graduation, he attended Technical School for Aerospace Propulsion at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, TX and was assigned to the 35th Fighter Wing, relocating to Misawa Air Base, Japan in February 2017.

He is being escorted home from Japan by his friend Airman First Class Evan Cameron, USAF.

Ben will always be remembered as a quiet kid with a huge heart and a smile that brought joy to your soul. He changed those around him for the better and was loved beyond what he could comprehend.

He is survived by his parents Larry and Jen, sister Emma, brother Matthew, his grandfather Jack Spierings, grandmother Rachel Jackson, and a multitude of aunts, uncles, cousins and other family.

He was preceded in death by his grandfather David Salisbury Jackson and grandmother Carol Jean Spierings.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, 2018 at the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 338 S. Harrison St., Belleville, WI with the Rev. Michael Moon officiating. Burial with full military honors will be in St. Raphael's Frenchtown Cemetery, rural Belleville.

A visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, April 27, 2018 at the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 338 S. Harrison St., Belleville, WI and from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. prior to the Mass of Christian Burial at the church on Saturday, April 28, 2018.

A Celebration of Ben's life will take place following the Mass of Christian Burial from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the New Glarus Hotel, 100 Sixth Ave., New Glarus, WI on Saturday, April 28, 2018.

The Zentner-Beal Funeral Home of New Glarus is assisting the family.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Benjamin David Jackson Memorial Fund.