Jessie Mae Reasor Zander

Jessie Mae Reasor Zander was born on July 31, 1932, in the small Appalachian town of Inman, Virginia. She was the daughter of Ida Neil Lawrence and Jesse Reiser Senior. She and her sister Ida Mae were reared by her beloved Grandma Cherry Reasor, Jessie's educational path began in a one room classroom at Macedonia Baptist Church in Appalachia, Virginia. She continued her early education at Big Stone Gap Elementary and Central High School in Appalachia, Virginia. After completing high school, Jessie pursued and completed her studies at Swift Memorial Junior College in Rogersville, Tennessee, earning her certificate in Elementary Education.

Following her initial certifications, Jessie completed her studies at Berea College in Berea, Kentucky where she graduated in 1954 with a Bachelor of Art's degree in education. Jessie earned the distinction of becoming the first African American student to graduate from Berea college following the 1950 repeal of Kentucky's 1904 Day Law, which prohibited state schools from teaching black and white students in the same school. Following completion of her studies at Berea, Jessie taught elementary school for two years in Behnam Kentucky. Jessie subsequently migrated to Tucson, Arizona with her beloved husband, Johnny Zander.

After moving to Tucson, Arizona, Jessie and Johnny taught together at the Tucson Indian Training School for five years. Jessie then went on to work for Tucson Unified School District (TUSD). Along the way, earning her Master's degree in Elementary Education and a 2nd Master's degree in Counseling both from the University of Arizona. Jessie taught for 30 years with Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) where she served as a teacher, counselor, and then principal for Miles Exploratory, Lineweaver and Hudlow Elementary Schools.

Jessie retired from TUSD in 1989 after the death of her beloved husband, Johnny. During her retirement, Jessie volunteered tirelessly with numerous organizations. She volunteered with the Funeral Consumers Alliance, as facilitator for YWCA Racial Justice program, Women Confronting Racism, the Eta Epsilon Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, Arizona State Poetry Society-Tucson, American Cancer Society, American Association of University Women, the Alpha Kappa Alpha Wives Club, Council of Black Educators, CB Sahuaro Club, Teachers Education Association, American Educational Association, the National Education Association, the African American Read-In Chain, The American Association of University Women, Literacy Connects, Pima County Interfaith Council, Tucson Arizona Mass Choir and the Tucson Black Film Club. Jessie was a member of Southside Presbyterian Church, St. Mark's Presbyterian Church and an Oblate with the St Benedictine's Monastery. Her hobbies included singing, dancing, passive games, reading biographies, and writing poetry.

Jessie was an avid world traveler and visited to Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Israel, Ghana and Italy. She also traveled to South Africa where she studied that nation's Truth and Reconciliation process following the end of apartheid. For her service to her community, Jessie earned numerous awards including, the U of A Phenomenal Woman Award, the Arizona State Poetry Award, the AKA Regional Poetry Award, and the Berea College Service Award. Her poetry has been published in the Appalachia Independent, Pen Women, Tucson Sun Press, and the Arizona Sun. Her organizational readings include Jeney Houser's Poetry Corner, U of A Poetry Center Centennial Celebration, 1985 Bookmark Poetry Marathon, Barnes and Noble Read-ins and reading for children at multiple schools in TUSD.

In addition to her diverse interests and travels, Jessie embraced her humble roots and proudly referred to herself as a Black Appalachian.

Over the years, Jessie contributed much of her time to the cultural life of Appalachians in Southwest Virginia. She was instrumental in developing a rotating exhibit for the Southwest Virginia Museum in Big Stone Gap, VA on the early African American Schools in Southwest Virginia . She also documented a traveling exhibit of black churches for the African American Cultural Center in Pennington Gap. Jessie was a visiting professor in Berea College's Department of Education in 1991. She was an education consultant for the Carter G. Woodson Institute and has served on Berea's President's Council and alumni association. Devoted to literacy, Jessie established a Scholarship fund to ensure educational opportunities for generations of Appalachia's children.

Jessie passed away peacefully on October 3, 2023, at the age of 91, sharing with all who knew her a rich legacy of her love for life-long learning, art, music, and unshakeable faith in humanity. Jessie is survived by sister Ida Mae Reasor Neely, Neice Donna Neely Foster and Nephew Lawrence Douglas Neely, Grand niece Dorian Foster Fields (Joseph), Grand nephews Randall Allen Foster(Caledra), Rodney Tyrone Foster, Jr (Ari), Diandre Neely, multiple great grand nieces, nephews and cousins. Family and friends will celebrate Jessie's life on Saturday, December 16, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Mark's Presbyterian Church, 3809 E 3rd St, Tucson, AZ 85716. All are welcome to celebrate her amazing, well lived life.

Jessie's service will also be live streamed at: YouTube.com/stmarksaz

In lieu of flowers please send donations to Berea College, 101 Chestnut Street, CPO 2216, Berea, KY 40404 in Jessie's memory, or to Johnny Zander Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund, C/O the University of Arizona Foundation, PO Box 210109, Tucson, AZ 85721-0109 in Jessie's honor.