Joan Jackson: Rest In Peace

We are about to enjoy a beautiful Spring season.  February of this year was brutal.  I will never complain about a 90 degree day again.  Maybe.  I will miss one of my neighbors though.  Joan Jackson passed away during the winter season.  She was a long time resident of the 1600 Block of Wharton Street.  She was also a friend of one of my Mothers, Helen Boggs.  I remember her most from when I was a Machine Inspector and she was the Judge of Elections in the 36th Ward.  She had an awesome personality and was what we would call a straight shooter.

She had one son named Michael Jackson.  At her Home Going service he gave poignant remarks about the impact that she made on his life.  She was a Grandmother and a Great Grandmother.  Her neighbors also spoke eloquently of the impact that she had on their lives.  I was speaking with Juanita Jarett the other day and I missed Miss Joan's presence on the block.  I volunteered at St. Barnabas during the Thanksgiving season two years ago.  We prepared meals for approximately 125 people and delivered them to seniors in the neighborhood.  I had a great feeling about what we were doing and we made an impact for people who truly appreciated the meals.

I really appreciate the impact that individuals can have on my life when I meet them.  Miss Joan, after she gave up the Judge of Elections position, would still come and sit with us in the polling place and just reminisce about people and events in South Philly.  We would talk about bars that I only  thought about going into.  We would talk about how the neighborhood was in the 50's, 60's and 70's.  We would generally just have a good time.  Reverend Jenkins preached a wonderful sermon about her life and her presence at St. Barnabas.  I will think about Miss Joan and be thankful for the fact that I had a chance to share a part of her life.  Rest in Peace.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Boardwalk Empire Season 4 Finale: Why Maybelle?

Image
The finale of Boardwalk Empire addressed a couple of story lines last night.  I wanted to see Dr. Narcisse meet his maker but it didn't happen.  He was holding Chalky's daughter Maybelle hostage after a chance meeting at the Club Onyx and she unfortunately did not make it out of the club alive.  Chalky's bargaining chip was that he knew where Daughter was hiding and Narcisse had to have her back.  This was a twisted relationship because he had killed her mother during an encounter for hire in the story line. Last night's episode was also the end for Richard Harrow.  He was a killer extraordinaire.  The scene where he rescued little Jimmy from the brothel will go down in cinematic lore for me.  He needed closure regarding the whereabouts of Jimmy Darmody's body.  The episode began with him testifying to the fact that the person Gillian claimed to be Jimmy was actually the soldier that she drugged and killed.  Harrow went to Nucky and volunteered to do whatever it
Read more

Life in Venezuela is Terrible Right Now!

Image
Under the leadership of Hugo Chavez, it seems like the citizens of Venezuela were living a pretty good life.  Mr. Chavez was the President of Venezuela from 1999 until 2013 when he died.  He was also the leader of the Fifth Republican Movement.  This party merged with several other parties to form the United Socialist Party of Venezuela.  He was the beneficiary of high oil revenues in the mid 2000's and focused on poverty, literacy and income inequality.  He was an outspoken leader and made alliances with Fidel and Raul Castro and other strong man leaders.  He symbolized a proud leader for his people and has many followers today. I was interested in Venezuela because it seemed like this leader had utilized the oil revenue to help his citizens.  He was an enemy of the United States because he leaned more towards a Marxist philosophy.  He supported Latin American and Caribbean cooperation and that was good for this area of islands that depend so much on tourism.  He died of cance
Read more

Donna C. Coleman: Rest In Peace

I attended a Homegoing Service for Donna Cristina Coleman on Saturday, June 16th, 2012.  She was born into the Sutton Family on January 16th, 1968.  She was the youngest child in a family of five children that I affectionately refer to as my Brothers and Sisters.  Between the Sutton's, Wallace's, Taylor's, Bell's and Beattie's there were at least 35 children.  When we went to fireworks on the Parkway or cookouts in the park, we would have a tribe of children and parents.  I think Donna was the baby of us all.  She passed away too soon on June 11th, 2012. We all attended St. Rita's Elementary School.  It is now closed as are many of the Catholic schools in South, Southwest and West Philly.  It provided a nurturing place for many of us who have become lifelong friends.  It is located on Carlisle and Ellsworth Street.  We used to play on the 'little street' until I was at least in 6th or 7th grade.  The memories of handball, buck buck, cootie and just ha
Read more