Mrs. Loistine "Lois" Jackson

December 13, 1943 - December 7, 2016

Loistine “Lois” (Lucas) Jackson was born December 13, 1943, in Forrest City, Arkansas, to the late Verlee Lucas Sr. and Ernestine (Gowder) Lucas. When Lois was just six years old her mother died of a stroke. The family was devastated by her mother’s unexpected death, and Lois’s father suddenly became a single parent of seven children. Thankfully, her father’s family immediately stepped in to assist. Lois and several of her other siblings moved in with their beloved paternal grandparents, the late Luther Lucas and Kanizey (Hooks) Lucas. In addition to Lois and her siblings, her grandparents were still raising four of their own thirteen children. Needless to say, the house was abundant with love. Although Lois wasn’t the oldest child, she took responsibility for preparing food for her siblings to eat; she made sure they got to school, and she made sure their homework was completed on time (by choice or by force). Lois always had a subtle way of being bossy. Against tremendous odds, Lois’s paternal grandparents were successful, African-American entrepreneurs in Arkansas in the 1940s.They owned 500 acres of land, which they farmed, and they had a store where they sold their crops and other goods to the local community. Everyone in the family had a specific role in the family business, thanks to the ingenuity of Lois’s grandmother. Consequently, all of the children worked hard and learned from their grandparents’ example of the virtues of integrity, a strong work ethic, hard work and dedication. These were traits that Lois cultivated and used for the rest of her life. Shortly after graduating from Lincoln South High School in Forrest City, Lois’ life changed forever when her father moved her away from Arkansas to live with an aunt in Muskegon Heights, Michigan. It was in Muskegon Heights that Lois met her soul mate in life, James Gordon Jackson, III. They married on June 21, 1964, and recently celebrated 52 years of Holy Matrimony. The couple later moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, and raised three children. Lois received Christ at an early age and was a faithful member of St. Augustine Catholic Church in Kalamazoo. Lois was devoted to living a God-centered life, and she was renowned for her angelic spirit and compassionate wisdom. Lois daily shared the ministry of unconditional love, forgiveness, and serving others. Through her own example, she always demonstrated the value and importance of these attributes. Throughout her life, Lois joyfully wore many hats—wife, mother, caretaker, organizer, and planner. Her passion for her own family was soon expanded to embrace the Kalamazoo community. Lois became a community advocate for equal educational opportunities; she promoted inclusion, and was dedicated to making a difference. Lois volunteered countless hours to either forging partnerships or establishing organizations to fill a community void. Lois was the co-founder, along with her treasured friends James Palmore and the late Gail Sydnor, of the Kalamazoo’s first Black Arts Festival in 1986. After that successful event, the three met with other people to establish the Black Arts and Cultural Committee. The organization flourished with art classes, exhibitions and cultural events, movies and poetry. The organization was renamed the Black Arts & Cultural Center in 1990, and relocated to its current space in the Epic Center in 2001. Lois also had a gift for arts and crafts. She mastered the skill of batik art and loved teaching others the craft. In her youthful days, Lois enjoyed recreational sports, such as softball. However, her most treasured moments were spent with her family and traveling. Lois was instrumental in joining forces to bring youth initiative programs to Kalamazoo, including the NAACP’s ACT-SO program and the Youth Development Center. She also was one of the founding members of the Concerned Black Women’s Roundtable. In 2008, Lois received the YWCA’s Women of Achievement Award for exemplifying volunteerism. She valued philanthropic activities that advanced the community. Lois’s public service and tremendous community contributions also were recognized by other organizations, including the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo; the Kalamazoo Ladies’ Library; Big Brother Big Sisters, and the Kalamazoo Pushkin Partnership. Lois also was an advocate of conserving the natural beauty of the area and she served on the board of the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy. In addition, Lois supported the work of the League of Women Voters. She volunteered at college nights to register young voters; delivered voters’ guides door-to-door, and helped organize high school mock elections. One of Lois’s most treasured activities was reading and discussing worthwhile literature. She was a long-time member of the Saturday Eves’ Book Club, which recently celebrated 48 years of fellowship. The Saturday Eves’ is not an ordinary book club—members don’t just read and discuss books, they engage in community action. The book club’s activities became a central part of Lois’s life. She often reminisced about the various community activities spurred by a presentation during the book club’s meeting. Lois worked for more than 27 years for Kalamazoo’s municipal government. During her tenure at the city’s Parks & Recreation Department, Lois created the legacy program “Friends of Recreation” to provide access to life-enriching, recreation programs to the community at large. The Friends of Recreation Board has annual fundraisers to offer scholarships to families in need. Lois’s visionary leadership also spearheaded the Kalamazoo Municipal Recreation Endowment Fund at the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, with the goal of someday fully endowing the Parks & Recreation Department. In 2002, Lois retired from the City of Kalamazoo as the Superintendent of Parks & Recreation. But retirement didn’t set well for Lois; she was used to always being on the go, either consulting or collaborating with community groups or organizations. In 2003, Lois joined the staff of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation to oversee the organization’s “The Better Together” Initiative. A few years later, a health challenge required that Lois retire from Kalamazoo Community Foundation. She was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that was estimated to occur in only six out of one-million women. Lois’s courageous and valiant battle included her own, self-prescribed antidote. She frequently reminded her grandchildren that “a hug a day takes the cancer away.” Lois’s spiritual journey intensified during cancer treatment. She remained committed to early morning devotions with God by meditating on the Holy Word; prayer, and expressions of gratitude. Lois cherished memorable and colorful days of chasing sunsets and admiring the change of seasons. Frequently, her husband took her on back road car trips to beat the cabin fever. The cancer was in remission for more than seven years before it resurfaced. Lois departed this life, surrounding by her loving and devoted family, to be with the Lord on December 7, 2016. Lois leaves to treasure and honor her memory, her beloved and cherished husband, James Gordon Jackson III; her beloved and cherished son, James Anthony “Tony” Jackson of Muskegon Heights, Michigan; her beloved and cherished daughter, Angela J. (Nathaniel) Warren of St. Antonio, Texas, and her beloved and cherished youngest daughter, Tiffany E. Jackson of Kalamazoo, MI. Lois was also the beloved and cherished grandmother of Nia Jackson, Aijah Jackson, Nial Jackson, Elijah Jackson, and the loving step-grandmother of Alliyah Warren, Asha Warren and Anissa Warren. Lois’s memory will also be cherished by her loving sisters Toni(Alonzo) Perrin of East St. Louis, Illinois; Vera (James) Greer of St. Louis, Missouri, and her brother Verlee (Dorothy) Lucas Jr. of Forrest City, Arkansas; and her cherished brothers in-law, Robert Anderson and Wayne King. Lois also will be fondly remembered by her adored aunts Bernestine Bell, Madge Witherspoon and Agnes Hancock. In addition, Lois memory will be forever alive in the hearts of other special family members; The Saturday Eves’ Book Club members, her other treasured friends and former co-workers. Lois was preceded in death by her parents, Verlee Sr. and Ernestine Lucas; siblings: Noel Lucas, Lugenia Anderson, LaVerne King, and Luther Curtis “L.C.” Lucas; and her sister in-law, Carolyn Lucas.