Marie Fern Jackson was born to Willie and Anna Haynes on July 22, 1922, on a farm near Chester, Oklahoma where she was raised.

She attended Seiling High School, graduating in 1941 and being the only one of her family to earn this distinction.  She then furthered her education by taking a one year business course at the Enid Business College.   She then joined the war effort work force, working at Vance AFB near Enid, then on to Oklahoma City helping build bombers at Douglas Aircraft at Tinker Field.  She met her first husband, Harold Nichols in Oklahoma City who was an Army veteran of the Battle of the Bulge in Europe and eventually owned several oil field businesses.  After World War II, she worked at Southwestern Bell for 13 years and then worked as a bookkeeper for various oil companies.

Marie loved to travel and took numerous trips throughout the United States including Alaska and Hawaii.  She also toured most, if not all countries in Europe and has fond memories of her trips to New Zealand, Australia, China and Canada.

In 1990, a new chapter in her life opened up by attending a Seiling High School reunion.  Also there was an old high school sweetheart who had recently lost his wife to disease.   They renewed their romance and in December of the same year, she and Robert Bruce Jackson were married.  Bruce was a Pearl Harbor survivor and had retired from the Navy.  He had recently retired again from police work in California and bought land near other family members at Oakwood, Oklahoma.  He and Marie raised cattle there and divided their time living at Oakwood and Oklahoma City.

Marie was a faithful member of the Church of the Servant in Oklahoma City for more than 50 years.  Bruce joined the church after they were married and as long as they were able attended regularly.  She was also a member of Eastern Star in Seiling, Oklahoma and Desk and Derrick Club of Oklahoma City.

Marie was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Bruce, three brothers, Roy, Irl, and Wilber, two sisters, Reita Sclarb and Berneita Olsen and a host of nieces and nephews.

The family offers a special thanks to the caregivers at Brookdale Bethany for their special attention provided to Marie in her last two years of life.  She is remembered for her graciousness and generosity and she loved visiting with people.  She truly was a member of America's Greatest Generation.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, January 25, 2019 at the Redinger Funeral Home Chapel in Seiling with Pastor Orville White presiding.  Burial is to follow at Brumfield Cemetery.

Memorial Donations in Marie's Name may be made to the Brumfield Cemetery Association (Box 236, Seiling, OK 73663)