Lois Audrey Jackson's Obituary
LOIS AUDREY KING JACKSON On July 18th we bid a heartfelt farewell to a special lady. She bravely faced the insidious challenges of A.L.S. (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) for almost a year. She died at home with family near.
Audrey was born on April 25, 1935 in Murray, Utah – the 8th child of Thomas and Mabel King. Eventually her family settled in Mesa, Arizona where she spent most of her growing up years. She attended Brigham Young University where she met and married her husband, Edward William Jackson. A few months after their wedding in the Mesa, Arizona temple, they moved to Washington, D.C. where William completed his degree at George Washington Medical School.
After medical school, Audrey, Bill and their three young children relocated to Southern California. Three more children followed and they spent the next 25 years raising their family in the beautiful Ojai Valley. During this time Audrey opened her home and became mother to children from Afghanistan, the Navajo Nation, Bolivia, the Philippines, Australia and the United States. Being around family and friends was one of Audrey’s greatest joys. Movie night with popcorn and milkshakes was a family favorite!
Audrey was deeply committed to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She served in many ward/stake callings. From 1986-1989, Audrey served as mission “mom” to over 600 missionaries in the Manila, Philippines Mission. Few could pull off such an assignment with equal flare and enthusiasm. Over the last few weeks, she has been so happy to receive loving messages from her missionaries representing every corner of the world. Shortly after her mission Audrey moved to Provo and was quickly put to work leading the Young Women and then Relief Society organizations in her ward. Audrey absolutely loved music and the joy and inspiration it provided to others. For six years she was honored to conduct music at the M.T.C. and spent over twenty years performing with Medical Melodies dancing and singing at rest homes throughout the county. Her spark for life was truly contagious.
Together with her husband, she helped establish the Deseret International Foundation. For the past 25 years Deseret has performed over 300,000 charitable surgeries throughout the world for the lame, the blind, and the disfigured. Always willing to travel wherever the need was greatest, Audrey successfully made temporary homes in such places as Algeria, Ghana, Honduras, Kenya and Afghanistan. She was not only an angel of mercy to thousands, but she was the “heart” of the foundation. Her caring for others was sincere and personal. Thousands honor her name and look to her as a role model.
Audrey is survived by her husband of 56 years and her six children: William King Jackson (Ann) – New Delhi, India; Laura Lee Reay (Kelly) – Springville, Utah; Karen Johnson (Greg) – Provo, Utah; Pamela Johnsen (Jeff) – Ojai, California; Douglas Fell Jackson (Sharon) – Provo, Utah; Bret Weston Jackson (Rebekah) – Beijing, China. She is also survived by 30 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren and her sisters Norma Atwood (John) & Dorothy Pace.
AND WHEN SHE PASSED I THINK THERE WENT
A SOUL TO YONDER FIRMAMENT
SO WHITE, SO SPLENDID AND SO FINE
IT CAME COMPLETE TO GOD’S DESIGN
…….. EDGAR GUEST
Funeral Services will be held Saturday, July 23, 2011 at 12:00 noon at the Hobble Creek Stake Center: 495 S. Canyon Rd, Springville, Utah. A visitation will be held prior to the service at 10:00am to 11:45am at the same location. Interment at Provo City Cemetery.
Donations to Deseret International Foundation, 1282 E Cambridge Ct. Provo, Utah 84604 (www. desint.org)
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