James Lee Jackson was born on December 10, 1932 in Alva, Oklahoma to Roy Jackson and Alice Hada Jackson. He was the first born in a family of five, would later have a younger sister, Peggy, and younger brother, Timm.
His early years in Alva were spent working on the family wheat farm and cattle ranch. He also played football and performed in theater. He graduated from Northwestern Oklahoma State University.
He joined the military and served in the Army.
After the war, he returned to Alva and taught Chemistry at Northwestern OSU and then entered the insurance business in Oklahoma City where he met Eressia Holliday. She was a bank teller and he was her customer. He asked her for a date and their first date took place on Friday, July 13, 1962. Every Friday the 13th after was considered lucky for them.
They married on December 27, 1963 and soon moved to Houston, Texas to start a business known as Jackson’s Restoration and Cleaning Company, Inc. A first-of-its-kind business, Jackson’s Restoration and Cleaning specialized in restoring personal and commercial property damaged by fire, water and smoke. Jim and Eressia built a highly successful and unique business that grew in size and reputation over thirty years.
Jim adopted Eressia’s daughter Christy, age 3, from a former marriage. They had another child, Anne Holliday, born in 1966. During their time in Houston, Jim attended flight school and earned his pilot’s license. As a pilot he often flew the family to cities in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.
Jim spent many years enjoying deer hunting, outdoor photography and golf. The family traveled extensively in the US and Canada. Many Summers were spent in the GMC motorhome under the CB handle, The Travellin’ Texans.
In the second phase of his life, Jim returned to Oklahoma, in Agra, to start a cattle ranch and to be closer to his aging parents. He became active in the community supporting many local high school programs and attending a variety of music events.
As his health failed, he and Eressia entered Southern Oaks Care Center in Pawnee OK in March 2020. He contracted Covid and passed away December 29, 2020.
He is preceded in death by his parents and his sister Peggy.
He is survived by his brother Timm Jackson and sister-in-law Karen, his 2 daughters Christy Jackson and Anne Alvarez and 3 grandchildren Jessica Dockstader, Daniel Alvarez and Andrew Alvarez.
A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Chapel of Palmer Marler Funeral Home, Cushing.
Eressia Christine Holliday was born March 26, 1938 at home in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Her parents were John A. Holliday and Ruby Marie Colclazier. She was the third child born with 2 older sisters, JoAn and Mary.
Early years were spent at Holliday Farm where she began her love for animals. She helped her father care for the hunting dogs being kenneled there. She also traveled around the United States with her father, showing thoroughbreds and quarter horses. She would later apply and be accepted to the Cal Poly Pre Vet program but due to lack of female housing could not attend.
She was active in the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls in Oklahoma and served as Worthy Advisor in 1955.
After high school graduation, she entered the American Banking Institute and became a teller at a bank in Oklahoma City where she eventually met her husband James Lee (Jim) Jackson. He asked her for a date and their first date took place on Friday, July 13, 1962. From that point on they considered all Friday the 13th’s as lucky.
Eressia and Jim married on December 27, 1963 and soon moved to Houston, Texas to start a first-of-itskind business dedicated to the restoration of residential and commercial furnishings and contents damaged by fire, water and smoke. Jackson’s Restoration and Cleaning Company Incorporated., developed into a unique and highly successful business that grew in size and reputation over thirty years.
Eressia had 2 daughters, Christy Marie, from a former marriage, and Anne Holliday.
Summers were spent traveling the country in their GMC motorhome. They were known by their CB Handle as “The Travelin’ Texans.” In 1976 the family made a memorable bicentennial trip where they traveled from Sea to Shining Sea and saw America.
The second phase of Eressia’s life was spent in Agra Oklahoma. Eressia and Jim sold Jackson’s Restoration and Cleaning Company Inc., and moved to Agra to raise cattle and to be closer to family and aging parents.
For many years they successfully raised Black Angus cattle. They often hired FFA students from the local high school to work on their ranch. Eressia and Jim loved being involved in their community. They attended school events such as ball games, Christmas programs and fundraisers. Eressia especially enjoyed going to the local basketball games. They became beloved supporters of their community.
Eressia was elected Secretary of the Board for the Rural Water District #4 for Lincoln County. She was repeatedly elected to this position for many years.
Eressia enjoyed gardening, bird watching and auctions. In their later years, she and Jim attended many live music events at the Agra Senior Center as well as other surrounding areas.
Illness led to her decline during COVID and she and her husband entered Southern Oaks Care Center in Pawnee in 2020.
Jim passed away from Covid December 29, 2020. Eressia moved to Fort Worth to be closer to her daughter Anne in November 2021.
She passed away peacefully in her sleep February 16, 2023.
She is survived by her daughters Christy Marie Jackson and Anne Holliday Alvarez.
She has 3 grand children, Jessica Holliday Dockstader, Daniel Alvarez and Andrew Alvarez.
Eressia was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Joan and Mary and brother Johnnie Holiday.
A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Chapel of Palmer Marler Funeral Home, Cushing.
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