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1914 - 2006
Ethel Elizabeth "Granny" Williams Jackson was born, December 16, 1914,
in Milton, Florida to John and Minnie Williams.
She passed peacefully into the arms of the Lord on July 24, 2006,
surrounded by her family and friends. She was preceded in death by her
husband, Otis Charles Jackson, the love of her life; her parents, John
and Minnie Williams; her sister, Allie Brewton; her brothers, Claude S.
Williams and Charlie Williams.
Left to cherish her loving memory are her daughters, Charlotte Clemons,
JoAnn Rooker, Shirley Murphy, and Linda Jackson; a sister, Clara
Stutheit; her loving grandchildren, Danny Gent (Carol), Deborah Henson
(Skip), Le' Lon Vardeman (Kenny), Alison Fields (Roger), and Ben
Osterberg;herwonderful great-grandchildren whom she adored,
Shawn Gent (Michelle), Jonathan Gent, Alicia Franklin, Joey Vardeman,
Jenna Gilbert (Chris), and Ashley Elizabeth Henson; her wonderful great
great-grandsons, Gavyn Gent, Jonathan Neet, Hunter Franklin, and Colton
Gilbert.
Granny Jackson had so many adopted and loving families: Sharon Beck,
Larry Beck, Justin and Austin Beck; Suzie and John Payne, and their
children; Suzie and Nick Jodoin; Bill and Sharon Hogan and their son
Daniel; along with many loving friends. She was such a devoted mother,
grandmother, and our best friend. God truly blessed her family with
unending love, faith, and support. She was the epitome of love and
taught her family to love and give of themselves to everyone. She has
been and will always be the love of her family and friends.
She was a
dedicated and loving
member of the Myrtle Grove Baptist Church for over 60 years and loved
the Lord with her whole heart and soul. Her beautiful blue eyes sparkled
when she talked about her Lord and her wonderful church family.
As her
illness
progressed, she became increasingly weak and was unable to be at church,
but she was always present in spirit, heart and soul. She especially
missed her dear friends of the Joy Sunday School Class.
She worked for the Navy Exchange at Saufley Field and NAS for 25 years.
After retiring she devoted herself to her family, friends, her precious
Lord and Savior, church family, and her beautiful flower gardens. It was
always a
great joy for her to share her beautiful flowers with friends and
family. She took great pride in her flower gardens, which were always
admired by the community. People marveled at her beautiful spirit, her
ability to share
joy and bring love to everyone around her. She was truly blessed beyond
imagination and gave the glory to the Lord.
The family will receive friends on Wednesday, July 26, 2006, from 6 pm
to 8 pm at Oak Lawn Funeral Home. She especially requested to be
returned to her dear church, Myrtle Grove Baptist, for the funeral
service and
Celebration of her life. Services will be at Myrtle Grove Baptist on
Thursday, July 27, 2006, at 2 pm with Pastor Ron Lentine and Pastor Ron
Pouilot officiating.
Active pallbearers will be her great-grandsons, Joey Vardeman, Shawn
Gent, Jonathan Gent, Nick Paladini, Mike Paladini, Roger McLean, Nick
Jodoin, Larry Beck, Austin Beck, Justin Beck and Chris Gilbert.
Honorary pallbearers will be Danny Gent, Skip Henson, Kenny Vardeman,
Joe Barrett, Bill Hogan, John Payne, and Bill Taylor.
Granny and her family would like to thank the wonderful and caring staff
and volunteers at Hospice of the Emerald Coast, Michelle DuMond, Evelyn
Fields, Lorena Johnson, and the other caring nurses and staff. Also, her
wonderful
friends, Carol Owens and Bill Taylor.
Mom loved each of you dearly.
Also, Sacred Heart Outpatient Therapy and especially Bryan, who became
so special to her. Our love and thanks to Dr. Jung Gorton and her staff
for their
wonderful love and care.
To all her church family who came by to visit,
pray and cheer her up! You will never know what this meant to our mom.
God bless you all.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to
the Myrtle Grove Baptist Church old sanctuary building fund or the
Hospice of the Emerald Coast.
Dear Mom,
God looked around His garden and found an empty place. He then looked
down upon this earth and saw your tired face,
and lifted you to rest and he knew you were in pain. He knew you would
never get well on earth again. He saw the road getting rough and the
hills hard to climb; so He closed your weary eyelids and whispered
"peace be thine". It broke our hearts to lose you, but you did not go
alone; for part of us went with you the day God called you home.
Though your beautiful smile, with your sparkling blue eyes are gone
forever and your hands we cannot touch, we will always have sweet
memories of the ones we love so much and we will see you again mom and
dad, in heaven for God's promise tells us such.
OAK LAWN FUNERAL HOME is in charge of arrangements.
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