ELMA JACKSON
1933 - 2018
Obituary
Elma Viola Jackson, 85, was called home
by the Lord on Monday (Feb. 26, 2018) in the caring embrace of her
family and the staff of Good Shephard Hospice and Asbury Park
Greenhouse in Newton. Elma Viola Jackson was born Feb. 9, 1933, in
Newton to proud parents Ora Vergil and Ethel Mae (LaGree) Lough. She
was a twin to Elva Leota Esau, born Feb. 8. She grew up in a
Christian home and, at the age of 9, gave her life to the Lord Jesus
and was baptized at the First Baptist Church in Newton. She graduated
from Newton High School in 1951 and was a member of the National
Honor Society.
During her teen years, she was active
in Youth Fellowship at both the First Baptist and the Evangelical
United Brethren churches in Newton. At the E.U.B. church. she met her
life mate, Robert Louis Jackson (Bob). They were married June 10,
1951, in a double wedding ceremony with her twin sister at the E.U.B.
Church. To this union were born three sons and three daughters.
After many loving and happy memories,
tragic events caused a divorce after 36 years of marriage. Elma
relied on the Lord for her support and needs in the years that
followed and always remained friends with Bob. God's grace is always
sufficient for every earthly need. She always believed that
friendship and the togetherness of family, no matter what the
situation, was important.
Her life occupations were wife and
mother, nine years as a pharmacy clerk at Wilson Drug Store and two
years at United Methodist Youthville as a house parent. Her avocation
was a wedding and all occasion cake decorator. She was a past member
of the "Evening Crumbs," "Sugar Bells," "Cake
Arts Club" (all cake decorator clubs) and the International Cake
Exploration Society.
She had been an active member in the
First Baptist Church and the Salem United Methodist Church in Newton,
Central Community Church in Wichita, Wanamaker Woods Nazarene Church
in Topeka and Palmyra Baptist Church of Benton. It was her belief
that all Christian faiths are one family in the eyes of God.
Her interests were reading, piano,
organizing memorabilia (putting together more than 60 albums),
traveling and visiting museums and art galleries. What she loved to
do best was creative cooking and entertaining family and friends,
painting, knitting, crocheting, quilting and other crafts. She loved
flowers and loved to garden when she was able. Writing book length
letters to family and friends was a passion. She completed a
spiritual autobiography of her life for her children titled "Color
Me Complicated."
A personal and life changing event was
a trip to Israel in 1997, where she was baptized in the Jordan River.
She also was a past member of The Carriage Factory Gallery, Kansas
Artist's Guild, Tri-W and Sunset Gals E.H.U. groups, and was a past
president of a T.O.P.S Club. While living near Towanda, she was an
active participant in the Towanda and Benton Senior Centers'
activities. In December 2001, she joined the "Red Hot Hatters",
a Wichita Red Hat society group and remained active in the group for
nearly 16 years.
She was preceded in death by her
parents, Ora and Ethel Lough; sister, Elva Esau; sons, M. Scott
Jackson and Darrell Dean Jackson; daughter, Nancy E. Wells;
grandchild, Jennifer Roach; and great-grandchild, Christopher
Arrowsmith.
She is survived by her children: Carol
(Kenneth) Drake of Towanda, Randy Jackson and Beverly (William)
Roach, all of Newton; 12 grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; 28
great-grandchildren; six step-great-grandchildren; and two
great-great-grandchildren.
A celebration of Elma's life will be 1
p.m. Monday (March 5, 2018) at Salem United Methodist Church in
Newton, with Pastor Norman Tillotson presiding. Visitation will be 1
to 5 p.m. Sunday (March 4, 2018) at Petersen Funeral Home, with the
family receiving friends from 2 to 4 p.m. at the funeral home.
Private family interment will be in the Pleasant Hill cemetery near
Perth.
Memorials are suggested to the Asbury
Park "Care Club" in care of Petersen Funeral Home.
