Monica Patricia (Walker) Jackson

My mother, Monica Jackson, was born on October 15, 1952 in St. Thomas, Jamaica. She was the eldest of 5 children for her father,  Lionel Walker.  Two of her siblings predeceased her, and two are here today, Leon Walker and Melrose Walker Samuels. She was a mother to 2 children: Michael who died as a child and me, Julie Jackson. She is survived by 3 grandchildren: Tina and husband, Jerome, Chloe, and Ray and 3 great grandsons: Joshua, Joseph and Jerome Jr.

My mother loved God, family, life, church and people in general. There was no doubt where my mother stood when it came to her relationship with the Lord. As a little girl, I was my mother’s handbag at the Church of God in Jamaica as she played the organ for Sunday worship, marriages and funerals. Over the decades, she freely served the Lord with the gifts He bestowed upon her as she was never shy to use her talents, whether playing the organ, piano, keyboard, overseeing and teaching Sunday school, leadership roles in the church, fundraising, and so on. She was also a woman of prayer, and the Lord heard and answered many prayers for our family. Key among them, was praying for me for decades to accept Jesus as Lord. This in turn, led her grandchildren to also make the decision for their own salvation.

In the community, Mom served in every place she lived and visited. In her Hyde Park apartment building in Boston, where she lived for 20+ years, she was part of the tenant event organization. At the nursing home, she was part of the activity’s music selection, menu planning and the patient committee. She also enjoyed participating in all of the activities.

We could easily say that my mother was a simple woman in many ways. You could not rush her to do anything. She was honest to a fault. She was calm, and a doer in her own way. She at times gave beyond her means. She was kind to everyone even when they were unkind. Everything she did was out of pure genuine love and concern for others. Everyone she met gravitated to her simplicity, willingness to help, and her non-judgemental approach and sincerity. I recall her visits to my home in Canada, where she knew my neighbours before I even did, never mind that I lived there for years. The Lord granted her long life of over 32 years since having 2 massive strokes that left her paralyzed and many mini strokes over the decades. After each event, she fought her way back to playing music that glorified God! He blessed her with a godly earthly mother we warmly refer to as MA who warred in the courtroom of heaven for her, and cared for her each time death knocked for over 3 decades.

I am grateful that the Lord choose her to be my mother. He certainly didn’t make a mistake in this area as her demeanor balanced our relationship by not adding, should I say, fire to my fire. Over the years, we butted heads, or , better said, I butted head and her response was always calm. She was steadfast in our relationship, she would respond with “Yes Miessy or Ok Miessy or say nothing at all”, as she continued to pray privately. Again, the Lord answered her prayers tangibly and reconciled our relationship in full forgiveness and love. 

The last two and half years have been a privilege to care for her, as her health was more and more challenged. She kept her sense of humour and we were grateful for the opportunity to care for her with visits, Amazon deliveries, family care packages, UBER eats, meeting the team of professionals each visit, regular phone updates, and overall keeping up with her medical and emotional needs.

We mourn my mother today as she profoundly impacted our hearts, lives, family values and relationship with Christ! We take great strength and comfort knowing that she is no longer in physical or emotional distress, and that she is with the angels of the living God and MA singing holy, holy, holy, as they worship and adore the King of Glory.

In conclusion:

To everything there is a season, a time for every
matter under heaven; a time to be born, October 15,1952
and a time to die; January 24,2025  a time to plant, her entire earthly life
and a time to pluck up what is planted; the love and care of her family, friends and those who the Lord sent to care for her such as MA
a time to weep throughout her life, and a time to laugh, throughout her life
a time to mourn her son, parents, siblings, MA’s death, and a time to dance as she rejoices in heaven;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away .cast away the pains of this world

-Ecclesiastes 3 paraphrase

I will miss my mother dearly. Our conversations, knowing how she faithfully prayed for me and my family, and her example of service and kindness to everyone. Above all, I thank her for living out a good example of a godly life. Today, I can say that my house and I serve the Lord, thanks to Mom. Through each tear, I will take comfort that you are in perfect health and praising Jesus! And in God's time, we will see each other again.

I love you, Mom. I am grateful that you are resting in peace.

Celebration of life was on January 29,2025.