Mary Ann Jackson

Mary Ann Jackson, 89, passed away on Sunday, October 31, 2021, in Overland Park, Kansas. Mary was a woman of faith who loved the Lord. She was a dedicated wife, mother, grandma, granny, and friend.

Mary was born in Rochester, Minnesota, on January 17, 1932, to Lawrence and Catherine Leonard. Mary and Charles Jackson were married in Rochester on October 17, 1953. They lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota until 1965, when they moved to Kansas.

A job transfer within Amoco Oil Company brought Mary and Chuck to Overland Park where God blessed them abundantly with friendships in their church, school, neighborhood and work communities.

Mary and Chuck and their daughters, Jane and Paula, enjoyed camping, many family road trips and vacations to National Parks, as well as visits to their family in Minnesota.

The Jacksons lived in Craigmont, a neighborhood full of lifelong friends. Mary and “the Craigmont ladies” continued decades-long friendships from young motherhood into their retirement years when they enjoyed card games, regular lunches, travel and fellowship.

Mary and Chuck spent many summers on the Lake of the Ozarks at their cabin; fishing, boating, and hosting family and friends. In retirement, Mary and Chuck traveled and loved becoming grandparents.

After Chuck’s passing in 1994, Mary found new ways to contribute to her community. For decades, she was a volunteer at Shawnee Mission Medical Center. Mary also served at Knox Presbyterian Church in a variety of ways and spent time giving back in the classrooms of her young grandchildren.

Above all, Mary loved spending time with her family. She made every holiday special and never missed a school activity or birthday party. Her four grandchildren brought her immense joy and, more recently, her three great-granddaughters kept her strength and spirits high. Mary lived out her Christian faith and modeled values of perseverance, generosity, and integrity to those who were blessed to know her.

Mary lived a full life and delighted in simple pleasures; sweet candy, a glass of wine, ladybugs, a captivating novel, cross-stitching, puzzles, iPad games, and coloring.

Mary is survived by her two daughters, Jane (Mark) Cobb and Paula (Steve) Hawkins; four grandchildren, Kerry Cobb, Rachel (Kirsten) Shuck, Claire (Tyler) Wright, and Ashley Hawkins; and three great-granddaughters, Annie and Lucy Shuck and Lainey Wright.

She is also survived by her brothers Larry Leonard and Tom Leonard (Carol), sisters-in-law Mona Leonard and Phyllis Leonard, and many nieces and nephews and their families.

She is preceded in death by her husband Chuck, her parents, in-laws Clarence and Irene Jackson, her brothers Don and Joe Leonard, sister Virginia Boutelle, sisters-in-law Merilyn Hanson and Sue Leonard, and brothers-in-law Gary Hanson and Dwight Boutelle.

A memorial service will be held at Knox Presbyterian Church on Saturday, November 13, 2021 beginning at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Knox Presbyterian Church.

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