Betty Jean Jackson Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Betty Jean Fry Jackson, 90, of Roodhouse, Il., died Sunday, August 9, 2015. Born March 24, 1925 in Patterson, IL., to Lloyd Earl and Nona Belle Carriger Fry, she attended Patterson and Roodhouse public schools and graduated in 1943 from Roodhouse High School. She was married to K.E. “Blackie” Jackson for 61 years, until his death, Oct. 20, 2008. She is survived by a son, Timothy Eugene Jackson of Roodhouse; two daughters, Patricia Ann Jackson Lendennie (Steven) of Blytheville, AR, and Donna Jo Jackson Feltner of Mundelein, IL; eight grandchildren, Chance Jackson-Stille (Helyne) of Jacksonville, IL; Brittany Jackson Smith (Zach) of North Quincy, IL; Jessica Jackson (Adam Wilson) of Colchester, IL; Kenny Jackson of Quincy, IL; U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Michael Wendell (Doerta) of Ft. Lewis, Seattle, WA; Kyle Wendell (Deborah) of Gosnell, AR; Benjamin Feltner of Las Vegas, NV; and Matthew Feltner of Mundelein; and seventeen great-grandchildren. She worked at Day’s Drug Store before running the business office for Dr. F. Earl Walker. Later, she was a copy typist at the Roodhouse Record newspaper. She enjoyed music and dancing, playing Bunco, photography, and spending time with friends and family, especially her grandchildren. She was an active member of the American Legion Auxiliary, the Bunco Club, the Daughters of the American Revolution, past president of the Eight and Forty Club, and ran the Toys for Tots Program for the Roodhouse Volunteer Fire Department. She was an active member of the Democratic Party of Illinois. And she loved to work with children. She was a Sunday school teacher, Bible School teacher, Girl Scout leader, Cub Scout leader, and a 4H leader. In addition to raising her own three children as a stay-at-home mom, she also took guardianship of and helped raise her brother’s three children, Nona, Terry, and Frederic, when U.S. Army Private First Class Sharpshooter Junior Earl Fry was killed in action in World War II, and his wife abandoned the children in an orphanage in St. Louis. She was a lifelong Christian, served as deaconess for many years, was active in the ladies Dorcas group and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Roodhouse until the time of her death. She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; her brother; two sisters, Doris Lillian Fry Camp and Lavonne Chloe Fry Copley; one son, Lloyd Dean Jackson; and one granddaughter, Amy Elizabeth Wendell.

Betty Jean Jackson

March 24, 1925 - August 9, 2015