Orieta Viola Jackson

Orieta Viola "Reta" Jackson was born on May 19, 1922, on a farm near Capron, Oklahoma, alongside her twin sister, Oneta Olga "Neta," to Nellie (Mitchell ) and George Gray. The twins shared a lifelong bond that shaped Reta's life.

Reta grew up with her siblings Orland, Oneal, Olen, and Nellie, learning the values of faith, hard work, and community. The Gray family were active members of the United Methodist Church in Capron, where Reta's involvement continued throughout her life.

After graduating from Capron High School in 1941, Reta trained in nursing at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita, Kansas. She returned to Oklahoma to work at Alva Hospital. In 1946, she married Ernest Jackson, a returning World War II veteran. Together they raised two sons, Duane and Harold, and built a life rooted in family and perseverance. Reta returned to nursing after a crop failure in 1955, working at hospitals in Hardtner and Kiowa, Kansas, before retiring in 1990 to care for Ernest during his illness.

Following the deaths of their husbands, Reta and Neta embraced travel, earning the nickname "The Traveling Twins." Members of the National Twins Association, they attended conventions across the country, chronicling their journeys and delighting those who met them. Music was another shared passion-Reta on piano and Neta on organ-often playing duets in church. Reta's favorite warm-up song was "Wildwood Flower."

After Neta's passing in 2009, Reta remained active and devoted to her family, attending her grandchildren's activities and cherishing her great-grandchildren. She entered Share Convalescent Home in 2012, where she quickly became known for her love of Bingo.

Reta reached her goal of living 100 years in this world, leaving behind a legacy of faith, resilience, music, and love. She was preceded in death by her mother, Nellie Gray; father, George Gray; twin sister Oneta Kimbrel; brothers Orland and Oneal Gray; and sons Duane and Harold Jackson and granddaughter Christina Jackson. Reta is survived by her brother Olen Gray and his wife Jodi, sister Nellie Hill; grandsons Kyle, Mike, Trent, Evan, and Brett Jackson; eight great grandsons; four great granddaughters; and a host of loving family members and caretakers who will miss her dearly.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Capron United Methodist Church.