Gloria Jackson

Gloria Emily Jackson, age 93, passed away on July 22, 2021. She was born on June 30, 1928 in Fairfield, Alabama. She married the love of her life, George Jackson, on January 23,1951. During their sixty-seven years of marriage, George and Gloria were rarely apart.

George and Gloria had many adventures together during George's time serving in the U.S. Navy. Both George and Gloria loved to tell the story of how they lived in a Quonset Hut on the U.S. Navy base in Vallejo, California. While living in Vallejo, Gloria often traveled to Tijuana, Mexico for what she described as the best tacos and tamales you could eat.

After her time as a military spouse, they moved to Alabama where George entered the ministry and became a Methodist Minister. As a pastor's wife, Gloria and George moved around in the North Alabama Conference where George ministered and they brought the word of God and a smile to the face of everyone they met. Gloria enjoyed entertaining. She would often host church events and weddings. She also loved animals, especially her long-time cat Max. Everyone knew that Max was at the top of the pecking order.

Even from a young age, she often watched over and cared for the younger members of her family. This love and devotion to her family continued throughout her life. She raised many children, and the unconditional love that she showed and lessons that she taught left an undeniable mark on the hearts of those she loved that will not be soon forgotten. She loved to travel and could always be seen with a camera in her hand. She loved taking pictures and looking through her many family photo albums because in those pictures one could see the thing that she cherished the most: her family. Most of all, she loved her children, grandchildren, and great-grandsons. She will be dearly missed and forever in our hearts.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, George Jackson; her parents, Richard and Edith Gillett; her brother, Buddy Gillett; and sister, Frances Searcy.

She is survived by her children Eddie Jackson and Lisa (Justin) Kilmer; her grandchildren Blake (Savannah) Jackson, Brandon (Katie Darling) Jackson, Morgan Lovin, and Madison Lovin; and great-grandsons Bryant Jackson and Ben Jackson, and many others who she considered children and grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held by Chaplain Jonathan Killingsworth on Monday, July 26, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at Magnolia Chapel Funeral Home South. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Active Pallbearers will be Blake Jackson, Brandon Jackson, Pete King, Justin Kilmer, Ronnie Sanders, and Brent Wester.

Honorary pallbearers are employees and residents of Heritage Health Care and Rehab and Hospice of West Alabama, as well as the many members of her extended family who have predeceased her and survive her, many of whom she helped to raise. In lieu of flowers, donations in her honor may be made to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.