Mary A (Jackson) Russell
December 27, 1956 ~ April 30, 2020 (age 63) 63 Years OldShare using:
Mary A. (Jackson)Russell, age 63, entered into heaven’s gate on April 30, 2020, after a long battle with cancer. She was the eleventh child of the late Ophelia Boyd Jackson and the late Rev. Robert Jackson Sr., of Newberry South Carolina.
Mary Ann graduated from Mid-Carolina High School in Prosperity, South Carolina, then shortly thereafter moved to Springfield, Massachusetts where she attended STCC and Springfield College. For the first 30 years of her adult life, she worked as an insurance adjuster at different insurance companies; Travelers, Liberty Mutual, Arabella Mutual with her last employment in that field with Crawford Claims Management in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. She attended the United House of Prayer for all People Church and Third Baptist.
After her cancer diagnosis, Mary Ann became employed at Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services with their After School and Summer Camp Programs. Even though she loved her work in the insurance industry her love of family and friends were most important to her. She was a volunteer for over twenty-five years with the historically Black College Tour Committee/Youth Cultural Education out of the M.L.K, Jr., Family Services and advocated for students to continue their education beyond high school.
Mary Ann was predeceased by her husband Robert Russell (2018), two brothers James Morris Jackson, David Earl Jackson and two sisters, Rosa J. McConnell and Josephine J. Williams. She is survived by her sons Jason A Jackson, his wife Dianisy (Rodriquez) of Lutz, Florida but formerly of Springfield, Ma. and Julius McKinstry Sr. of Springfield; her grandchildren Julius I. McKinstry Jr; Chase A. and Brody A. Jackson, Deonna Mondon and Dominic Gray; and one great grandchild Mia Rose McKinstry. She is also survived by her four step-children, Ann Marie Andrews (Willie), Clifford and Terrance Russell, and Kimberly Cardona all of New Bedford, Ma; and their children.
She is also survived by her sisters; Gladys J. Wicker of Norristown, PA, Janie J. Brown, Columbia, SC; Barbara J. Lakin (Jimmie) of Eastover SC; Jessie J. Reeder(John) of Newberry, SC and Vashtie Cannon (Ronnie) Irmo, SC; brothers Robert (Sadie) Jackson, Jr., and Raymond (Martha) Jackson both of Atlanta GA; brother-n-law Richard (Mildred) Russell of Salisbury NC; sister-n-laws Avril Russell, Hilda Russell Johnston, Barbara Jackson, Lori Jackson and Rosie Faulkner. She also leaves several nieces, nephews, cousins and “very special friends” too many to name and a special niece Etta J. Graham (Willie) of Irmo, SC who was reared in the home. Mary Ann also leaves her god-children, Satin Faulkner, Toshi Jones both of Springfield and Cedric Blatch of Georgia.
In lieu of flowers, donations to MLK, Jr. Family Services, Historically Black College Tour and Rays of Hope, “Sisterhood Rosa’s Angels”, as they are very precious to her.
Funeral Services will be on Friday, May 8, 2020. All funeral arrangement by Henderson Funeral Home, 52 Hancock Street; Springfield, MA. 01109.