Wilbur Ivan Jackson

Wilbur Ivan ‘Wil’ Jackson, 84, died unexpectedly on Sunday, November 29, 2020 at his home in Knightdale, NC. He was born on September 22, 1936, in Ayden, NC, to Richard Guy and Stella Brown Taylor Jackson. Wil was the youngest of the eight children born to the Jacksons.

Growing up in Ayden, Wil enjoyed being part of his large family and developing strong friendships, many of which remained constant throughout his life. He also grew to love the local church at a young age and felt a palpable calling to the ministry before he finished high school. After graduating from Ayden High School in 1954, Wil completed an undergraduate degree in history at High Point College. He went on to attend Duke University Divinity School where he earned a Master of Divinity in preparation for the pastorate.

As an ordained minister in the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, Wil served congregations in Franklin County, Raleigh, Knightdale, New Bern, Fayetteville, Aberdeen, Burlington, Alamance and Orange counties, Durham, Whiteville, Cary, and Laurinburg over a span of 44 years.

Wil and Carolyn Crane Gibbs were married May 7th,1988 in Durham, NC, and enjoyed 32 wonderful years together. In his retirement, Wil enjoyed playing tennis, reading, solving Sudoku puzzles, traveling with Carolyn, spending time with his family and friends, and was an avid Duke fan. He loved God and loved sharing about the redemption and freedom that can be found through a relationship with the Creator. Wil also loved people and never met a stranger.

Passionate about writing, Wil authored many books and devotional meditations and was never without a new research project. He prided himself on his many gifts, not least of which was a beautiful voice and penchant for lusty, cheerful singing.

Wil was preceded in death by his parents, Richard Guy Jackson and Stella Brown Taylor Jackson, and by his older siblings: brother, R.G Jackson Jr., and sisters, Eleanor Grice, Virginia Tucker, Florence Brown Jackson, Susan Noble, and Hannah Whitesell. Two nephews also preceded him in death. Wil is survived by his dear sister, Patricia Brown, and brother-in-law, Charlie Brown, of Washington, NC, and his niece and ten nephews.

Wil is also survived by his wife, Carolyn, of Knightdale, NC, and his children Michael (Debbie) Jackson of Mooresville, NC; Laura (Jim) Barbee of Occoquan, VA; Myra Leigh (Joe) Stoffregen of Raleigh, NC; Ryan (Sarah) Gibbs of Raleigh, NC, and Jennifer Gibbs of Charlottesville, VA. Other survivors include his 12 grandchildren: Jamie Barbee (Paul) Sherar, Jackson Barbee, Anne Barbee (Jake) Harris, Mitchell Barbee and Cintia Cordeiro “Barbee”, Olivia Stoffregen (Garrett) Bauerle, Sam Stoffregen, John Stoffregen, Khofifa Safira “Stoffregen”, Ellie Gibbs, and Miles Gibbs and Giselly Cordeiro “Jackson”. Wil is also survived by four great-grandchildren Lucy, Ava, and Baby Sherar, and Nolan Harris.

A private family memorial service will be held at Edenton Street United Methodist Church in Raleigh, NC, at 10:30 A.M on Sunday, December 6. Others are invited and encouraged to view the service via the livestream link posted below. Private interment will follow later in the day in Ayden, N.C., at 2:30 P.M. Due to the current Covid-19 restrictions, a celebration of life service will be scheduled for the late spring.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to the Doorstep Ministry at Edenton Street UMC (https://esumc.org/doorstep-ministry/), the Green Chair Project (https://thegreenchair.org/), or to Side by Side Alliance (https://sidebysidealliance.org), a nonprofit ministry doing poverty alleviation work in the Philippines (started by Wil’s daughter and son-in-law).