Tuscaloosa, AL. - Mary Virginia Jackson, age 97, died May 21, 2021 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The daughter of Mary Watters and Morris David Jackson, she was born September 23, 1923 in Talladega Springs, Alabama. She graduated from Fayetteville High School, then earned a B.S. in chemistry from The University of Alabama in 1948. Following this, she came to Birmingham and was employed as an analytical chemist with Southern Research Institute. In her final position at SRI as a Research Chemist in the Polymer Division, she worked on a contract with NASA. After 24 years with SRI, she returned to The University of Alabama and earned a master’s in library science. She accepted a reference librarian position at UAB’s Mervyn H. Sterne Library. At the time of her retirement, Virginia was head of the Reference Department with the rank of associate professor. Over the years, she pursued additional graduate work in chemistry and her second love, history.
Virginia assisted her mother in her genealogical research and joined her two interests, history and writing, by co-authoring with a cousin, Wayne Wood, a book of the Civil War letters of one of their uncles. She was also editor of or contributed to a number of newsletters of organizations in which she was active. For several years, she did abstracting for Chemical Abstracts and copy proofing for criminal justice publications.
She was active in a number of professional societies and was honored by the Scientific Research Honor Society, Sigma Xi. Involved in several service clubs, she served twice as president of the Birmingham chapter of Altrusa International Inc. Another organization that took much of her retirement years was New Horizons at UAB.
Baptist Church of the Covenant, where she was a charter member, was an important part of Virginia's life. She worked in the preschool department and served on a number of committees, including the building committee for the present sanctuary. Other volunteer interests covered a wide spectrum: hospitals, the American Red Cross, literacy, nursing homes, women's shelters, and English as a second language.
She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers, Morris (Buddy) and David Jackson. She is survived by her sister Martha Hinton, brother Francis (Dean) Jackson, nieces and nephews, Tabby (Forrest) Brown, Nancy (Hooker) Robinson, Ann (Eddie) Tinsley, Stephen (DiAnna) Jackson, Kathy (Wayne) Jones, Pam (Tommy) Shavers, William Goff, Watt (Tara) Jackson, Leigh Jackson and 20 beloved great nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will be held at Talladega Springs Cemetery on Saturday, May 29 at 1 pm. Pastor Sarah Shelton will officiate, and Radney-Smith Funeral Home will direct.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of West Alabama or Baptist Church of the Covenant.
Memorial messages may be sent to the family at www.radneysmith.com.
Radney-Smith Funeral Home in Sylacauga, AL will direct the services.
