Donald "Duck" M. Jackson

Donald M. “Duck” Jackson was the third child born to parents Theodore and Marie Jackson on November 6, 1954 in Brooklyn, New York. Donald grew up in the Brownsville community with his older sister Sharian (Shay), older brother Leon (Fred), and baby sister Paula. He was affectionately nicknamed “Duck,” named after the cartoon character Donald Duck, and his siblings also called him Donnie. Donald loved football as a little boy, and could always be found with a football in his hands.

Donald and his cousin Lamont, the son of his father’s twin brother, looked so much alike, people in the neighborhood thought they were twins. Donald later revealed to his family he would often use their resemblance to his advantage to get out of trouble. Donald was also part of the Dean Street “rat pack” with Jerome, Vincent and Lamont. Although they wreaked havoc in the neighborhood, Donald was the protector of the group. He also looked out for his “little brother” Reggie Washington.

Donald was a momma’s boy – the heart of his mom Marie. Even as a young adult, his mom would get up in the middle of the night to fry chicken for him. Then she would get up early in the morning to make him homemade biscuits and bacon. He had a sweet tooth for cookies, candy, red velvet, key lime, and his mom’s coconut cake. Donald and his mom often watched Lifetime movies together, and he made her promise not to tell anyone! Their relationship was the embodiment of love between a mother and her son.

Standing at 6 ft. 3 in, Donald was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome. All of the girls in the neighborhood had a crush on him. Donald was a big teddy bear, and his family could depend on him for anything.

Educated in the New York City Public School System, Donald graduated from George W. Wingate High School in Brooklyn. He attended Kingsborough Community College and Staten Island Community College. Donald spent his entire career, spanning 36 years as a civil servant with the City of New York. He started as a youth counselor for the City of New York Parks and Recreation in 1975. The teens he worked with called him “Mr. Duck.” He played and coached basketball with them until he experienced a shoulder injury. Donald transferred to the group home setting, where he was promoted to field supervisor. In the early part of 2000, he transferred to the City of New York Human Resources Administration where he we worked as a Fraud Investigator II.

Donald met the love of his life, Clarieta Nelson (Nellie) in 1993 and they became longtime companions. They married before family and friends on November 22, 2008. Donald and Nellie would often travel to visit their new grandbabies, or to attend family celebrations. After Donald experienced a stroke at work in August 2010, they retired from the City of New York, and Clarieta became his primary caregiver for the next 10 years. She cared for him with unconditional love and compassion. In 2011, Donald and Clarieta relocated to Ellenwood, Georgia to be closer to their daughters Collette and Kimberly and their grandchildren.

Affectionately known as “Grandpa,” Chelsea, Camden, Capers, Kyle and Sir Chandler were his heartbeats. Although they celebrated many family occasions together, they watched sports and shared jokes. Donald was the biggest New York Giants and New York Mets fan. He also looked forward to spending time with Sir Chandler everyday afterschool, and Capers and Kyle on the weekends. As a proud Grandpa, he had the privilege of watching from the sidelines as Kyle and Sir Chandler play football with their recreation center teams.

Donald loved jazz music from real jazz artists – John Coltrane, Grover Washington, Jr., and the Marsalis brothers. He also loved neosoul artists Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, as well as old school R&B, and Luther Vandross. Although his speech became limited, Donald could still sing his favorite songs, and most recently, called his daughter Kimberly to sing “Happy Birthday.”

Donald had a relationship with the Lord. One day, he shared with his sister Shay, “Sis…I know how to pray. My mother taught me how to pray and I pray every day!” Donald and Clarieta continued to enjoy their lives as active members of Christ Apostolic Church – Bethel Fellowship (Ellenwood, GA), and watching their favorite television shows, including “Martin,” “The Neighborhood” and “Bob Hearts Abishola,” with his pet Yorkie, Kingston under the bed.

Donald suddenly passed away on the morning of December 8, 2020 at the age of 66. He is survived by his wife Clarieta Nelson-Jackson, daughters Collette Ramsay-Taylor, Kimberly Willis Green and Dawn Willis; grandchildren Chelsea and Camden Taylor, Capers, Kyle and Sir Chandler Green, Camille and Richard Willis, and Jamar Dadd; (paternal) Aunt Shirley Jackson; oldest sister Sharian (Shay) Jackson; brother Elder Billy Tucker and wife Euclin; nieces Ebony Marie Charles, Donna Richards and Tamar Swain; nephews Michael (Mike) Harper and wife Everlene, Eric Grady and André Jackson; great-nephew Christopher Grady; family Jerry and Della Washington; Kingston, his pet Yorkie who never left his side, and a host of sister-in-laws, brother-in-laws, nieces, nephews, other family members and friends who reside in metro Atlanta, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, New Jersey, Florida, Canada, London and Jamaica, West Indies.

Public Viewing for Donald M. Jackson will be held on Wednesday, December 16, 2020 from 4:00PM-7:00PM (in 5 person rotation intervals) at Horis A. Ward Funeral Home-Fairview Chapel, 376 Fairview Road, Stockbridge, Georgia 30281. (Attendees must wear a mask and adhere to temperature screenings)

The Celebration of Life for Donald M. Jackson will be LIVE STREAMED on Thursday, December 17, 2020 at 11:00AM with burial immediately following in Fairview Memorial Gardens.