Sherilyn Deona Jackson

On Sunday, February 22, 1953 at exactly 10:56 am, the world was forever changed when Sherilyn Deona Jackson arrived into the loving arms of her parents, Lonzo and Bobbye Jackson. A true daddy’s girl at heart, Sherilyn spent many of her youngest years soaking up her father’s wisdom while gleaning everything she could from his character, including his love for our Heavenly Father. She was taught to place God first, lean on Him, learn from Him, emulate Him to the best of her ability, and most importantly, strive to love like Him every single day of her life. Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV) states, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Sherilyn Deona Jackson’s life is an example of the beauty of the word of God lived out in full color.

Selfless, creative, compassionate, funny, and intelligent, Sherilyn quickly learned how to pair the responsibility of being the oldest child with the independence of being the only girl. From an early age, it was evident that she was a dreamer. She believed in the art of creative expression, and as a result, she encouraged everyone around her to do the same. Known as the Jackson family’s “Jill of all Trades,” Sherilyn had a plethora of talents and abilities, from sewing, to writing, public speaking, organizing, evangelizing, teaching, painting, preaching, and more. If something needed to be done, she got it done. No complaining, no procrastinating. She always had a way of making everything and everyone better from having met her.

Traveling around the world as a military family, Sherilyn had the pleasure of visiting over 35 countries in her lifetime. This increased her understanding of culture, expression, and diversity; which would later play a major role in shaping her ability to relate to so many people from so many different backgrounds. Growing up, the Jackson home was one characterized by love, sacrifice, and socialism. Lonzo and Bobbye held weekly game nights with other couples, owned and ran one of the popular neighborhood stores, and regularly attended Sunday service at the local Church of Christ. Even though their home was often full of friends and family, Sherilyn found solace in the comfort of a good book, and not just any book, but the only book they had in the house at the time, the bible. Escaping into the word of God, Sherilyn found love, comfort, acceptance, and answers to the many questions she pondered throughout the years. With enthusiasm and curiosity, she continued to grow in her relationship with God and later found herself at the very center of multiple people’s salvation story. The more she read, the more she wanted to know, the more she knew, the more she felt the depth of God’s love for her and His ability to teach her, through His example, how to love people unconditionally.

Among her many accolades, including her Bachelor of Science degree earned in 1976 from Texas Southern University, her Master of Arts Degree, from the same University in 1981, as well as her Master’s degree in Education laid the foundation for her 47 year career in education. Sherilyn began teaching in Houston, Texas at the young age of 24 and continued to serve God through adolescent leadership until she retired from teaching at McNeil High School in Round Rock, Texas, on December 15, 2023, two months shy of her 70th birthday. Known lovingly by her students as Ms. Jackson, or Ms. J, she took pride in not only teaching but training her students in various life skills from financial literacy in her “Money Matters” course, to the art of educating in her “Educational Practicum” course. She taught her students how to take care of a family, raise children, sew, cook, and survive with basic organizational skills. In the course of her career, Ms. Jackson taught over 10,000 students, assisting over 7300 (she kept a chart) to get into college, and countless others to obtain jobs directly out of high school. Her classroom became a safe haven, as children from all walks of life would retreat to her room during their lunch break to talk out their issues, and discuss the things that laid heavily on their spirit. She would not only give them advice, but she would walk with them through the darkest times, and protect them to the best of her ability. She would advocate for them as if they were her own, and build up their self-esteem through projects that assisted them in learning the beauty in who they were, the importance of their specific make up, and how unique and necessary their exact design was in the grand scheme of this great big world. When her students, former and current, found out that she was retiring, many of them came back to McNeil to express their gratitude. Sherilyn loved to teach and inspire young minds and she spent the majority of her life dedicated to the purpose God placed in her to show love and offer support to those who felt forgotten, overlooked, or left behind. Outside of work, Sherilyn remained active in her community. She dedicated time to feeding the homeless, educating low-income families on the various opportunities available to assist them in securing their financial futures, educating ethnically diverse communities on the AIDS epidemic in the late 80’s, building houses, assisting in the foundation of two prominent Baptist churches in the Austin area, coordinating and teaching vacation bible school, participating in toy drives, working in the prison ministry, singing in the choir at church, teaching Sunday school, participating in animal rescue, founding the African American Employees Association for the Texas Education Agency and coordinating their annual awards benefit, coordinating summer camps for under-privileged youth, hosting job fairs, raising money for multiple mission trips to assist those around the world who were less fortunate, and serving as a member of multiple community service organizations throughout the nation. Sherilyn focused on how the Lord could use her to participate, provide, offer assistance, rebuild, reorganize, and positively impact society as far as her reach would go. In her final years, she was a faithful member of Little Zion Baptist Church, in Manor, Texas, under the auspices of Pastor Michael and Mrs. Yolanda Gobert, who shepherded her until she transitioned home to be with the Lord. In spite of all of her achievements, awards, organizational connections, and church affiliations over the years, Sherilyn’s greatest blessing and most rewarding accomplishment was mothering her daughter and eventual best friend, Andrea Danielle Jackson. For as long as Sherilyn could remember, she always wanted to be a mom, specifically to a little girl. When God granted her wish, she grabbed hold of His hand and never looked back. As a mother, Sherilyn was as compassionate and kind as she was protective and instructive. She took time to teach her baby girl everything she knew, from how to serve a five-star meal on a two-star budget, to how to love people beyond their flaws, and exemplify the love of Christ so deeply in your heart, that His light shines through your eyes. Sherilyn and Andrea were an inseparable pair. They loved being in each other’s company and as a result, the simplest tasks were fueled with excitement and contentment.

Sherilyn Jackson was the epitome of what it means to be a phenomenal mom. Always putting Andrea first, she would offer advice while allowing room for success or redirection. She was non-judgmental, and encouraged Andrea to speak her mind. She was full of love, consistently offering support, and always providing reassurance of Andrea’s beauty, worth, and place on this earth. Sherilyn never missed an opportunity to show Andrea how important she was to her and to God. She loved late night talks, using anecdotes and personal experiences to teach her daughter about life, and to prepare her for the future she was destined to create with the help of the Lord. As a single mother, without help from any outside sources, Sherilyn never complained. She partnered with the Lord, sometimes working 4 jobs at a time, and sacrificed for Andrea to live out her heart’s desires. She never missed a basketball game, a cheer leading practice, a gymnastics event, a volleyball game, a piano recital, an awards ceremony, a choir performance, a dance competition, an art exhibit, a book launch, a cosmetology showcase, or any of the other million things that her daughter was involved in (and if you think that was a lot to read, imagine living it). After a long day at work, she still took time to make dinner, bake desserts from scratch, host one-mommy puppet shows (with all the characters in different voices... for Andrea’s pleasure), read bedtime stories, help with homework, and have long talks about anything on her daughter’s mind. Needless to say, at this point, it’s safe to reveal that she was indeed the Christian version of Wonder Woman in the flesh. Life wasn’t always easy, as it never is, but Sherilyn managed to always make it fun. She could take the most adverse circumstances and somehow make them not just bearable, but fully enjoyable. She looked for the good in people, and tried her best to nudge them in the right direction. Choosing to not only love people with her words, but to also follow through with her actions, even when it challenged her own convenience. On multiple occasions, she extended her home, her finances, and her wisdom to youth in need, especially to those who her daughter called “best-friend.” She took in Andrea’s friends and loved them as if they were her own. She was the quintessential “momma bear” and not a day went by that she was not thinking of ways to protect her cubs, down to her very last day on earth. If anyone was in a crisis, it was widely known that Ms. Jackson would provide you with a safe haven for as long as you needed one. As the teens grew older, they began to establish their own separate friendships with her, all on their own. Many would call and check on her, stop by for a bite to eat, or just sit and talk with her for hours about the school district or whatever was on her mind that day. They genuinely enjoyed her company, but none as much as her God-Daughter, Irene Moore. With inside jokes galore, a classically elegant fashion sense, an enjoyment of travel, silence, written word, and a mutual love for investigating criminal enterprises while secretly desiring to serve the country in the field of espionage, the list of similarities between these two could make one's head spin. For 18 years, their God-Mother/God-Daughter relationship grew and blossomed. Although years apart, Sherilyn and Irene had a unique bond that lasted to her final breath.

Of all of the relationships she had, her most cherished one was with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She always talked about Him being her life partner and knowing that no matter what it looked like, she was not alone. She was devoted to God and did not waver. She actively understood that loving and living for God was the only thing that mattered. Sherilyn Deona Jackson operated with a Colossians 3:23 mindset, by doing everything as if she was doing it unto the Lord. It is with that same strength, grace, and supernatural courage that she faced life’s toughest challenges. Only through the complete partnership and surrender to the Holy Spirit was she able to make it to Heaven filled with joy in spite of everything that she endured here on earth. All the way through her final days, she loved to sit and talk about the goodness and glory of God, worshiping Him in her heart when words began to fail. Producing a life full of the sweetest fruit, Sherilyn understood John 15:5 which states, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (NKJV)

All of Heaven rejoiced as Sherilyn entered the gates, leaving those behind to keep her memory alive by loving with the heart and help of God, serving and sacrificing with the willingness of Jesus Christ, and advising others with the insight and forethought of the Holy Ghost. Sherilyn Deona Jackson ran her race valiantly, obtaining her crowns’ through the relentless pursuit of God’s heart. On July 2, 2024 at exactly 7:07 pm, she looked her daughter Andrea in the eyes, and having finished her work, she breathed her last breath on earth while simultaneously taking her first breath in Heaven. We thank God for her arrival to earth and the thousands of people who were blessed through the gift of knowing her; while we also celebrate with the hosts of Heaven on her arrival back home and the promise that if we too surrender ourselves to Jesus Christ, that we will see her again. May God be glorified through the legacy of a life well lived. Well Done.

Sherilyn is survived by her daughter, Andrea Danielle Jackson of Austin, Texas; God-daughter, Irene Moore of Round Rock, Texas; Son (in her heart), Alvanti Jordan of Dallas, Texas; Daughters (in her heart): Johnielle Aguebor of Cedar Hill, Texas; Antonia Cole of Houston, Texas; Jaquana Johnson of Leander, Texas; Antoinette Loving of Fort Worth, Texas; Shelby Sifford of Kyle, Texas; Niece, Megan Woodard of Houston, Texas; Nephews: Lonzo Jackson, III of Austin, Texas; Jonathan Jackson of Houston, Texas; First Cousins (who were like siblings to her): Sandi Adams of Chino, California; Barbara Barton of Houston, Texas; Darlene Barton of Houston, Texas; Marlene Barton of Los Angeles, California; Gail and Robert L. Jackson Jr. of Dallas, Texas; Roderick Davis of Tyler, Texas; Art Patrick of Dallas, Texas; Kathy Ann Patrick of Dallas, Texas; Starla Patrick-Whaley of Dallas, Texas; Deborah Warren of Tyler, Texas; and a host of other cousins, family and friends who loved her dearly.