Bernita N. Jackson

Bernita “Bea” Naomi Wilson Jackson Bea Jackson, 82, passed away peacefully of natural causes on December 2, 2020. Bea was born in Seattle, the second of three children to Prof. William C. E. and Naomi (Steil) Wilson. She graduated from Roosevelt High School and attended Central Washington University. She married Quentin “Q” King Jackson in 1958 and their marriage lasted 51 years until his death. She and Q loved to travel and this love of travelling continued after his passing. One of her most recent trips was to Wivenhoe, England, where she enjoyed visiting friends. Bea was a career woman. She began in the mail room at Pacific Tel and Tel, which later became Pacific Northwest Bell. At work, where dress codes were conservative, she was one of the first women to wear pant suits. By the time she retired, she was a manager of a large department, the Interexchange Carrier Service Center. Bea was a lifelong member of Christ Episcopal Church, Seattle, and was active, at different times, in altar guild, choir, and wherever her skills were needed. She was also active as a volunteer for Seattle Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, and the Hearing, Speech & Deaf Center, Seattle. Bea had a lovely gift of being able to meet people where they were and as they were, helping many to gain new skills. She loved baking and often made surprise birthday cakes for the special people in her life. She also had a longtime tradition of hosting family dinners. She wanted to be remembered as someone who “loved people and loved feeding people.” Besides having the gift of hospitality, Bea was a collector of beautiful and interesting things. Her collections of glass art, decorative eggs, and Northwest Native art were extensive and captivating. She is survived by her older sister Gloria Swisher (Donald), baby brother George Wilson (Claire McClenny), many in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, a long list of friends, including two friends from childhood, Sonia (Jarrett) Nelson and Colleen (Robinson) Saxon, and her longtime friends Stewart “Stew” Law, Roberta Delawder, Delores Stewart, and Ron Ubaghs. Bea’s family extends their thanks to the kind and dedicated staff of Ida Culver House Ravenna for their care of Bea throughout the past years. A private graveside service will be held for the family. A larger memorial will be held at a later date, COVID rules permitting. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to one of the Seattle organizations Bea valued and supported: Hearing, Speech & Deaf Center, Christ Episcopal Church, or Meany Center for the Performing Arts.