Jackson’s Legacy
At 25 years old, Jackson was doing what he loved with the ever-present encouragement and support of his family. That support was evident during the 14 years Jackson struggled with mental health-related issues. That support allowed him to follow his passions.
At an early age, Jackson started his path towards a career in architecture with Legos, K-Nex and erector sets. It led him to the architecture program at North Dakota State University (NDSU) where he created stunning models of work.
Jackson interned at Hagemeister Mack Architects (HMA) where he worked on many projects, including the renderings and virtual tours created for two large projects in St. Cloud: the St. Cloud Area YMCA and LOFTS Condominiums.
His love of art is captured through the details of his drawings and paintings—from broad brush strokes of his oil paintings to the fine elements of his portraits.
Roeder family in Yellowstone
Jackson's passion for adventure outside of the studio could be found in running, lifting weights and biking—both pedal and motorcycle. You could find him running full and half marathons, or taking to the back roads on his bicycle.
One adventure took him on a scenic pedal bike ride from St. Cloud to a family celebration in Minneapolis. Along the way he took pictures of city population signs and ended up being late to the celebration because he couldn't the find the population sign for Minneapolis.
Jackson was a talented, passionate young man who also faced challenges. He embraced life and he struggled with it because of mental health issues. The challenge Jackson and his family faced was that mental illness is not always accepted like other medical conditions.
His parents, Scott and Reyne, were constantly at Jackson's side on the journey of getting him the care he needed. For 14 years they elicited help from educators, counselors and health care professionals from St. Cloud, the Twin Cities and Fargo, navigating multiple setbacks along the way.
It had been nearly two years since any setbacks, where Jackson was doing very well without any indication of a problem. The family and friends who he loved and who supported him were all shocked by his passing in February 2017.
"When I heard the news that my son had passed away, I told my close friend that I had lost hope. I had lost Jackson," said Scott.
At his memorial service, Scott and Reyne heard stories of how Jackson, who was facing struggles of his own, had helped many others in their times of need.
These stories helped Scott to realize that hope is not lost. It brought a new passion for Jackson's family: to raise money for mental health, help those who need it, especially at a young age and bring mental health illness out into the open.
"There's no reason to feel shame or discomfort when discussing mental health, or seeking support. There is hope—and our hope is part of that," said Scott.
Jackson was posthumously honored at NDSU in their architecture program with the Brian Minnich Studio Mentor Award, which was voted on by his peers to honor a student who would “set aside competition in order to help fellow students in the studio.” His sister accepted on his behalf.
Learn more about Jackson and see his artwork.
Jackson was also honored in April at NDSU in their architecture program, and was given, posthumously, the Brian Minnich Studio Mentor Award, that was voted on by his peers and honored a student who would "set aside competition in order to help fellow students in the studio." His sister accepted on his behalf.
The Roeder family has established the Jackson Roeder Memorial Fund through the CentraCare Foundation. The fund will benefit youth who suffer from mental health-related issues, aspiring to bring hope and awareness to those in need.
The programs and activities it supports includes:
- Education for educators and physicians on early diagnosis of ADD and ADHD, and notification to and annual follow-ups with parents and their child to review if there are any changes in the child's first diagnosis
- Education for educators and physicians on bullying. Education for physicians and caregivers for patients who make a suicide attempt or have suicide ideation
- Other programs supporting mental health care for children and adolescents
"We need to help our young people, because mental illness is a disease—we need awareness and young people need help and care," said Scott. "We want to keep his legacy going—we need to use his story to help others."
If you're interested in purchasing artwork by Jackson Roeder, please visit the website dedicated to his work at JacksonRoeder.com.
If you have questions about the Jackson Roeder Memorial Fund, please contact CentraCare Foundation at foundation@centracare.com or 320-240-2810.
