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Meteorologist Ron Jackson signs off at Fox4 after 32 years

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Fox4 meteorologist Ron Jackson signed off Sunday after 32 years at the Dallas-based station. He’s retiring at age 57. Photo: Ed Bark

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The D-FW market’s second longest-standing weathercaster, Ron Jackson, announced his retirement from Fox4 on Sunday’s 9 p.m. newscast after a 32-year stay.

Jackson said that knee surgery and last summer’s kidney stone removal had persuaded him that “time is a little bit short. I’d better retire at an early age of 57 years.”

He’ll still reside in North Texas but plans to travel a lot, Jackson said. “I’m just gonna take it easy the rest of my life.” He thanked Fox4 management for a “great, great retirement package.”

Jackson had worked the weekend shift and filled in when needed on Fox4. NBC5 meteorologist David Finfrock, hired by that station in 1975, remains the area’s dean of temperature takers. He joined the station in 1975 and continues to anchor the weekday 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts. Finfrock signed an agreement with NBC5 in August 2012 that will give him more than 40 years at the station by the time he retires on a still unspecified date.

Jackson was joined at the anchor desk for his final Fox4 newscast by news anchors Richard Ray and Natalie Solis, and sports anchor Mike Doocy. Citing Jackson’s many wins during in-station Nerf hoops games, Doocy tossed two parting gifts to him -- a miniature Nerf basketball and pee wee football.

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