Judith “Judy” Jackson

Judith (Judy) Marie Jackson, 93, Topeka, Kansas, was born December 25, 1931 to Clifford Harold and Josephine Reeves Bradford. Judy was born and raised in what was called the Pierce Edition of Topeka, Kansas. She cherished her memories of her childhood playing with her brothers, cousins and lifelong friends like Betty Moore and Irma Scroggins. She graduated the Class of 1949 from Highland Park High School.

Judy married Samuel C. Jackson on January 27, 1952, in Topeka, they lived in Bangor, Maine where their first daughter was born, and moved back to Topeka where their youngest daughter was born. They then moved to Washington D.C. in 1965 when her husband was appointed by President Lyndon Johnson to the Equal Opportunity Commission, and she lived there until his passing in 1982. Judy returned to Topeka in 1994.

Judy was a life-long civil rights advocate and joined the Topeka branch of the NAACP in 1957, and transferred to the Washington D.C. branch in 1965 where she became a Life Member in 1983. She transferred back to the Topeka branch in 1994 and has been actively involved until her passing. Judy used her exceptional secretarial and organizational skills from being the Editor of the Topeka Branch Newsletter in 1957, creating NAACP note cards along with her beloved cousin Sarah (Sally) Johnson in 1962, chairing the Membership Committee from 2004 and serving on Freedom Fund committees in both Washington and Topeka, she also served on other NAACP committees throughout the years.

Judy was a lifelong community volunteer. She held babies in the neo-natal intensive care unit in a Washington D. C. hospital. She served at Senior Citizen organizations, her churches, Metropolitan AME Church in Washington D.C. and St John’s AME Church in Topeka, Kansas even as an Usher into her nineties.

Judy had a passion for her dogs. She has had them throughout her life and her last pup, Kye Jackson, preceded her in death last year. She loved Black Art and she also loved football. Her husband purchased season tickets for the Washington Redskins (now Commanders) years ago and they attended games together. She kept her tickets for years attending with friends until she finally sold them after she moved back to Topeka.

Judy also loved to play cards. She belonged to the Topeka Bridge Club and traveled with them on trips over the years. Judy also traveled the world with her husband, family and friends.

She is preceded in death by her loving husband Samuel C. Jackson, her parents, Clifford and Josephine Bradford, her sister, Jacqueline Bradford, her brothers Robert and Thomas C. Bradford, all of Topeka and her daughters Marcia (Micki) L. Sandels, Kansas City, Missouri, and Brenda (Brandi) S. Jackson, Lubbock, Texas. She is survived by her grandson Toren Samuel Jackson-Davis, Lubbock, TX, granddaughter, Teklyn Sarahn Jackson-Davis, Shawnee, Kansas, nieces, nephews, cousins and many dear friends.