Jackie Buffington

Jackie Gordon Buffington

Sunrise: November 2, 1946 – Meridian, Mississippi Parents: Henry Pringle of Sacramento, California, and Nettie C. Hearns of San Bernardino, California (both deceased)

A Life of Strength, Service, and Devotion

Born in Meridian, Mississippi, Jackie Gordon Buffington entered the world with a quiet strength that would one day become the foundation of an entire family. Raised by parents who instilled resilience, dignity, and a deep sense of responsibility, Jackie grew into a woman whose life reflected unwavering faith, disciplined work ethic, and a love that reached across generations.

Jackie received her education in San Bernardino, where she graduated from San Bernardino High School. Immediately stepping into adulthood with determination, she built an extraordinary career marked by longevity and commitment. Jackie married Robert Buffington in San Bernardino, California, in the early 1970s, beginning a lifelong union surrounded by family and faith. Together they welcomed their only son, Corideus Lava Buffington, who became her pride and joy. For more than 40 years, Jackie made her home in the cherished city of Rialto, California—a testament to her loyalty, her steadfast spirit, and her unwavering commitment to providing a safe and loving foundation for her family and community.

Jackie worked for GTE Phone Company for over 30 years, retiring honorably before beginning a second chapter of service with Amtrak, where she dedicated another 15 years of loyal employment. After retiring from Amtrak, Jackie continued pouring into her community as a Recreation Aide at Norton Elementary School, shaping the hearts of five- and six-year-olds for more than 15 years. Her influence on children was profound—offering structure, discipline, and love. So impactful was her presence that her young students collectively made a book in her honor, a gift that spoke to the spiritual and emotional imprint she left on every child she served.

Yet among all her areas of service, one of Jackie’s most profound callings was her work in the house of the Lord. A faithful doorkeeper, she served as a church usher for more than 30 years within the Baptist tradition. To stand at the door of God’s sanctuary is no small assignment—it requires patience, warmth, reverence, and a spirit anchored in love. Jackie fulfilled this role with consistency and humility, welcoming generations of worshippers, guiding families to their seats, and helping maintain the sacred order of worship.

Her ushering was not just a task—it was her ministry. And through it, she touched lives in ways that cannot be counted, offering hospitality, comfort, and a quiet strength that uplifted her entire church community.

Her Family—Her Greatest Legacy

Jackie’s life was centered on the people she loved, and she poured her heart into each generation she touched. She is survived by her devoted son, Corideus Lava Buffington; her loving siblings, Barbara Lynn Scott and Jimmy Wayne Hearn and wife Rita D. Hearn; and a cherished lineage of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Her grandchildren include Corinthian Buffington (mother of 3 great-grands), Corideus Lava Buffington Jr. (father of 1 great-grand), Keiana DeShawn Brooks (mother of 5 great-grands), Isaiah Buffington (father of 1 great-grand), Deangelo Rashaad Buffington, and Brittany Buffington.

In total, Jackie leaves behind five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren, each a shining extension of her love, strength, and enduring legacy.

She is also remembered with deep affection by a host of nieces, nephews, and extended family members—each of whom carries forward Jackie’s strength, humor, compassion, and guiding spirit.

A Legacy of Love and Leadership

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”

—Proverbs 31:25–26

Jackie lived these words with grace. Her strength was never loud—it was steady. Her dignity was never prideful—it was natural. And her kindness was not selective—it was her default posture toward the world.

She led her family with the quiet power of Esther—a woman whose courage stood in the gap for generations:

“And the woman rose in strength, clothed not in titles but in courage. The wisdom of her spirit was as a lamp set high upon a hill, and her faith became a covering for her people.

Like Esther, she stood in the gap when the hour was dark, and through her steadfast heart, deliverance found its way.

She walked as a star among us—guiding, comforting, and leading many to hope. Her life was a decree of love, and her legacy shall shine from generation to generation.”

Epilogue

Jackie Gordon Buffington’s life was a tapestry richly woven with resilience, service, devotion, and a love that could not be shaken. She labored with purpose, poured compassion into all she touched, stood firm in her faith, and gave of herself without hesitation. Her legacy—carried in the hearts of her son, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, her siblings, her church family, and the many young lives shaped by her guidance—will continue to blaze as a brilliant star set by God’s own hand.

Her departure creates a void beyond measure, yet her influence remains indelible; her voice, her spirit, and her example will resound through generations, anchoring her family in the very strength she embodied.