Mary E Jackson

August 26, 1932 – October 3, 2026

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” — Psalm 119:11

Mary Jackson was born August 26, 1932, in Port Gibson, Mississippi, to Charlie and Jennie Devine. She was the second oldest of thirteen children, so she learned early how to look after people, keep things in order, and make a little go a long way.

Mary graduated from Claiborne County Training School in 1952 and earned her Bachelor of Science from Jarvis Christian College in Texas in 1958. That same year, her Uncle Willie and Aunt Alice bought her a bus ticket to Milwaukee to help her find work. She came north and built a life.

In 1962 she started teaching at Hopkins Street School, and she stayed 42 years. She taught first through fourth grade, but first grade was her heart, and that is where she spent most of her career. Long after she retired, she would still say, “I miss teaching the kids.” A lot of Milwaukee learned to read from Ms. Jackson, and plenty of them learned some manners too.

On October 16, 1967, she married Jimmie Jackson, and together they raised two sons, Anthony and Fernando.

Mary joined St. Philip’s Lutheran Church in 1965 and stayed faithful for more than sixty years. She loved the Lord, she read her Bible, and she loved people. And if you ever ate her potato salad, you already know.

Her love showed up in what she did. When Fernando broke his pelvis, she dropped everything for six months. She drove him to every doctor’s visit and every rehab session and put up with his TV turned all the way up in a small single with a loft.

She also had a sense of humor that kept you on your toes. Not long ago, Anthony called to check on her. She told him she was fine, then added, “Since it is you, I will make the time to talk. If it was anybody else, I am busy.” On his last visit, he walked through the door, and she gave him a dead-serious look and said, “What are you doing here?” The whole room fell out laughing. Before he left, she told him how happy she was to have both of her sons together with her.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Charlie, and Jennie Devine; her husband, Jimmie Jackson; her brothers Lannie, Charlie, and Johnny Devine; and her sister Wilma Mae Devine.

She leaves to cherish her memory her sons, Anthony (Rebecca) Jackson and Fernando Jackson and his partner, Keely Fimbres; her grandchildren, Drew Jackson and Alex Jackson; her great-grandchildren, Dora and Ellanah; her sisters, Ethel (Curtis) Brown, Myrtle Morris, Erma Myles, Yvonne (Willie) Threat, and Marie Wilkerson; her stepsister, Cynthia Kershaw; her brothers, Jim (Minnie) Devine, James Devine, and Carl (Wilma) Devine; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, church family, former students, and friends.

Well done, Ms. Jackson. Class dismissed.