NORMA JACKSON

1929 - 2021

JACKSON Norma Louise Jackson July 24, 1929 ~ January 22, 2021 Norma Louise Jackson was born in Indian Creek, Texas, on July 24, 1929. After graduating at the top of her class in high school, she enrolled at Texas Tech University. There, in an English class, she met Donal Pat Jackson, a handsome Coast Guardsman from Oklahoma who was attending school on the GI Bill. They married in 1948 in Brown County, Texas. Pat's subsequent career in the Air Force took the couple-and eventually their five children-to eight states, with frequent trips back to Texas to visit family. In 1960, the family took its first overseas assignment, near London, England. The Jacksons finally settled in Falls Church, Virginia, where Pat was stationed at the Pentagon and eventually retired from active duty. From 1965 to 1990, Norma taught third and sixth grade at Westlawn Elementary in Falls Church. In 1978, she and her husband purchased property in Madison County, Virginia, and established Senterfitt Farms, named for Pat's great-grandfather, Reuben Senterfitt. Norma was a voracious reader, writer, gardener, and consumer of news and current events. She loved a good Scrabble game and always had a book to recommend-usually historical nonfiction. She also enjoyed traveling-both locally to historical landmarks and internationally to places such as Sweden and France. From 1983 on, Norma's greatest joy was her grandchildren. Often surrounded by them at "the farm" or at her home in northern Virginia, she loved them unconditionally and took great pride in their accomplishments. An avid journaler, in 1990, Norma wrote of her own grandparents, "the things they taught me, both by example and by word, are a large part, perhaps the better part, of my character today." All 12 of Norma's grandchildren could say the same about her. Norma is survived by her five children: Scott Jackson (Blair Jackson), Kathryn Jackson (Bill Adair), Jennifer Jackson (Greg Spivey), Kirk Jackson (Carrie Jackson), and Lisa Jackson (Kirk Otterson), all of the Washington metropolitan area; 12 grandchildren: Whitney Spivey (Mike Cleveland), Clay Jackson, Beau Jackson (Mary Jean Jackson), Tom Spivey (Donata Spivey), Shy Jackson, Jackson Spivey, Grace Jackson (Jonny Koes), Peter Jackson (Brittany Wicks), Ariana Mazzucchelli, Andrew Spivey (Chandler Ebeier), Olivia Jackson, and Clara Jackson; and two great-granddaughters: Lane Cleveland and Scout Cleveland. Norma was preceded in death by her parents, Oscar Ernest Olson (1982) and Bera Mae Olson (1979); her sister, Olga Mae Sypinski (2019); and her husband of 65 years, Col. Donal Pat Jackson (2013). Norma will be buried beside her husband at Senterfitt Farms on January 30. The family thanks Norma's caregivers over the years and the staff at Virginia Hospital Center for making her comfortable during her final days.