Source: http://www.meaningfulfunerals.net/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=1284894&fh_id=11269
Theodore R. ``Teddy'' Jackson
A celebration of life service for Theodore R. (Teddy) Jackson, 75,of Vidalia, who died Wednesday, October 12, at University Medical Center, will be held at Parkway Baptist Church at 10 am, Saturday, October 15, 2011, with Rev. Jeff Brewer officiating. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Natchez under the direction of Laird Funeral Home.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 pm on Friday, October 14 at Laird Funeral Home in Natchez, and Saturday, October 15, from 9 am until the time of service at the church.
Survivors include his wife, Ethyl Jackson of Vidalia; three children: Stephanie (Ed) McCormick of Union Church, Kim (Rusty) Anders of Natchez, and Valerie (Victor) Ward of Mount Olive and their mother, Fern Jensen; Ethyl's children, Sandra (Ed) Reed of Long Beach and Steve Lane of Tallahassee ; seven grandchildren: Austin and Zachary and Kyle McCormick, Jacob and Teddi Anders, Alex and Amanda Ward; four brothers: JB Jackson of Natchez, Hansel Jackson of Natchez, Clark Jackson of Natchez, EM Jackson of Natchez; Ethyl's grandchildren, Laney and Wynn. Teddy and Ethyl's very special camping friends include Huey and Linda Martin, George and Joy McFarland, Jack and Sally Ellis, Ronny and Jean Smith.
Teddy was preceded in death by sisters Jackie Bennett, Faye Whittington, Rae Netherland and brothers Carey Jackson and Aubrey Jackson.
Teddy was born on August 30, 1936 in Amite County, the son of James Bryant and Nina Rollins Jackson and was one of ten children. He was a graduate of Washington High School in Washington, MS and volunteered to serve in the U.S. Navy from 1954 to 1957 during which time he was stationed in Normand, Oklahoma. He was a long time employee of the Natchez Public School System serving as Director of Transportation and retired with 28 years of service to the school district. He often recounted fond memories of his colleagues in the school district, particularly the bus drivers and maintenance workers.
After retirement, Teddy enjoyed a life filled with camping trips, motorcycle riding, lawn/garden work, and extensive travel. Over the past few years, Teddy and his wife, Ethyl, traveled to all 50 states. Weekends would often find the couple countryside hunting antiques or as Teddy liked to say -- ``treasure hunting''. Teddy was passionate about the outdoors and was an avid hunter and fisherman with a tremendous love of the outdoors. Teddy's legacy will be filled with respect and deep friendships. He will be remembered as a hard worker with almost no task too tough to tackle, as a compassionate man always willing to help others - especially those that would never be able to pay him back, as someone always up for having a good time, and most importantly, as an incredible father. His parenting days were filled with days at racing tracks, teaching his daughters to hunt and fish, and instilling in his children/grandchildren the value of hard work and family loyalties.
Pallbearers for the service will be: Jacob Anders, Alex Ward, Kyle McCormick, Zachary McCormick, Austin McCormick, Dale Jackson, Clark Jackson, Jr. and Wynn Reed.
Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Wednesday Lunch Bunch of which Teddy was a faithful member. It should be noted that the group comprised of Butch Thornhill, Huey Martin, Speedy Wilson, the late Larry Burton and the late Elbert Martin gathered for lunch on Wednesdays for over twenty-five years -- rarely missing a Wednesday.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials are made to the ``passenger van fund'' at Parkway Baptist Church in Natchez.
(August 30, 1936 - October 12, 2011)