William Jackson, Jr.Deceased: June 23, 2013
Service Information:Visitation: Monday, July 1, 2013 10am until 12noon
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Obituary
William Jackson, Jr. was born on August 15, 1936 in Chicago, Illinois to
the late William James and Bessie Eva (Taylor) Jackson, Sr. He was the
third of five children.
William (known to all as Sonny) grew up on the outskirts of Chicago, off
of 130th Street in Altgeld Gardens. Some of his favorite hobbies included
drawing, skating and dancing. As a young man Sonny worked at the local
grocery store. Sonny was a quiet, but likeable guy who had good taste
and always stayed well-dressed. He enjoyed roller skating and dancing to
Latin music. Some of his friends in the Gardens included Herbert Clark,
Louis Ross, Oscar Johnson, and Freddie Cole. Sonny attended George
Washington Carver High School and at the age of 18 he joined the Illinois
National Guard. He served honorably in the 184th Field Artillery Battalion from 1953 -1956. Soon after, Sonny met and fell in love with Vera Adkins.
Sonny was a hard worker and worked many years as a butcher for Swift
Meat Packing Company.
In March 1960, Sonny married Vera. Sonny and Vera built on their
love and created a family of seven children. He was a loving father and
husband. Sonny was the type of man who was very disciplined and by
him being that way he passed those same traits on to his children. Sonny
was also very innovative and artistic. He was always thinking of creative
projects for his children to do. He also taught them self defense and made
sure they stuck together at all times. He would emphasize this by having
the seven of them line up or travel in pairs whenever they went on outings
or went out with him or their mom.
Sonny passed from this life at Ridgeview Nursing Home in Chicago,
Illinois on June 23, 2013 at the age of 76. In addition to his parents, Sonny
was preceded in death by his wife Vera, and brother, Ronald Jackson
of Rantoul Illinois. Sonny is survived by his children, Robin, William,
David, Derrick, Valon (Monica), Arlene and Paul; brother, Orvel (Donna)
Jackson of Hampton, Virginia; two sisters Lois Hayes of Calumet City
and Mildred (Leone) Jackson of Chicago, Illinois; his father’s second
wife, Carrie Harrell of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and sister-in-law, Lula
Jackson of Rantoul, Illinois. He also leaves a host of grandchildren, great-
grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Visitation, Monday, July 1, 2013 10:00 am until 12:00. Funeral Service at noon with interment following at 2:00 pm at Oakridge Cemetery 4301 W. Roosevelt Road, Hillside, IL
Messages
- July 1, 2013
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Dad, you taught us to be strong and to love one another and that love started
within the home. You taught us to take care of each other. You also taught
us how we should always be solid and strong at what ever we do in life, and
to stand on our own two feet. You taught us to never come home without our
brothers and sisters and to protect our mother. Thank You Dad.
-Robin, David, Derrick, William, Valon, Paul and Arlean. - July 1, 2013
-
To make spending money, Mother bought us a wagon. I remember Sonny asking neighbors to carry their groceries home from the Coop Store in the wagon. When he got older he was hired by the store to stock shelves. I remember that he was very much in love and true to Vera - they were always together. When they had a family they were like little ducks, where he went Vera went and the kids went too.
-Lois - July 1, 2013
-
Sonny, I can see you and Vera up there Latin dancing on those big sky blue
clouds before Momma and Daddy Taylor, Mother, Aunt Shirley, Aunt Ruth,
Uncle Otis, Uncle Melvin, and all that knew you, loved you and went before
you.
-Orvel and Donna - July 1, 2013
-
Although I was the youngest, Sonny as we all called him, always showed me
lot’s of love. I remember my brother always working, as early as fourteen
years of age, and a good provider for his wife and children.
-Mickey
