Mary Lou Jackson

Mary Lou Jackson, 96, of Corning, IA, passed away on Saturday, October 14, 2023 at Vintage Park Assisted Living in Lenox, IA.  Funeral Services will be 2:00 P.M., Thursday, October 19, 2023 at Pearson Family Funeral Service & Cremation Center, 701 7^th Street, Corning, Iowa.  Rev. Tim Maxa will officiate. Burial will be in the Prairie Rose Cemetery, rural Corning, IA.  Open Visitation will be 2:00 – 6:00 P.M., Wednesday, October 18, 2023 at the funeral home.  Family will receive friends 12:30 – 1:30 P.M., Thursday, October 19, 2023, prior to the service.  Memorials may be directed to the Corning Hospital Rose Ann Auxiliary and/or the Prairie Rose Cemetery.  Memories and on-line condolences may be left at www.pearsonfuneralhomes.com.

Mary Lou (Corbin) Jackson was born on Easter Sunday, April 17, 1927 to Lester and Myrtle (Else) Corbin in Taylor County near Gravity, IA.  Mary Lou attended 8 years at a Taylor County rural school. Her district high school did not provide normal training for teachers so she chose to attend high school in Corning, boarding in a local Corning home during the week. She graduated from Corning High School with the class of 1945.  Her normal training studies qualified her at age 18 to teach grades 1-8 in a country school setting.  She taught for 2 years at Holt Center #5 School before she was married.

Mary Lou was united in marriage to Leslie Jackson on August 24, 1947 in Corning, Iowa.  They settled on a farm in rural Adams County where she was a homemaker and farm wife and mom to four children Leslie Jr., Sharon, Patricia and Pamela.

Mary Lou was very involved with her family and community.  She was an active member of Fairview Church until it closed in 2008. She was a 50+ year member, holding many offices in the Emblem Chapter of Eastern Star.  She enjoyed helping youth by being a 4-H leader, and assisting her own children in their many 4-H projects and activities.   Mary Lou was also a life-long educator, supporting and encouraging her kids and others often to excel where they could.   A special mom pride was the fact that all four of her children earned college degrees.

She was a life-long learner herself – keeping up with her computer games and favorite websites.  She filled any free time with sewing, crafting, and crocheting projects, sometimes taking ideas from several sources to create just the right gift item for family or friends.  She was determined to make all projects as perfect as possible no matter how many “redo’s” were required.

Mary Lou loved being a stay-at-home mom and farm wife. However, when the need arose to help out with farm finances she willingly went to work outside of the home. She worked various jobs finally retiring at age 81. She enjoyed the challenges and camaraderie of each job. 

Left to cherish her memory are children: Leslie (Florence) Jackson Jr., Lino Lakes, MN; Sharon (John) Garvey, Van Meter, IA; Patricia (Russ) Dempster, Ankeny IA; and Pamela (Paul) Wolfe, Phoenix, AZ; 10 Grandchildren and 15 Great Grandchildren:  Todd Jackson - Cassady and Teegan; Becky (Scott) Sonmore – Derek and Dylan; Brenna Garvey; Brann (Keegan) Garvey – Corbin and Greta; Peter (Sarah) Gumina – Leo and Luca; Abby (Matt) House – John; Jeremiah (fiancé, Shirley Ruan) Wolfe; Zachariah (Tania Lebratti) Wolfe – Santiago; Ryan (Samantha) Dempster – Natalie, Layla and Quinn; Derek (Jessi) Dempster – Dominic and Beckett.  A niece raised as her sister – Norma Jean (Walter) Finnell; Sisters-in-Law – Doris Swartz, Sue Jackson, and Caroline Jackson. Several nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends, including the staff at Vintage Park Assisted Living.

Mary Lou was preceded in death by her husband Leslie in 2014; her parents; parents-in-law, Chester and Myra Jackson; step-sister, Marie and husband Leonard Perdew and step-brother, Joy and wife Freda Corbin.

Special thank you to Dr. Freeman and the staff at Corning Hospital, Vintage Park Assisted Living and Every Step Hospice Care for their excellent care for our

mother.