Ilona F. Jackson

Ilona F. Jackson, 84 of St. Joseph died Monday April 4, 2011 at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. Friends may call from 4:00 to 7:00 PM Thursday at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home; 2650 Niles Road, St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 1:00 PM Friday at Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Joseph; officiated by Rev. Thomas Batsky; with burial to follow at Riverview Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church or Macular Degeneration Foundation. Friends may leave condolences on line at www.starks-menchinger.com. Ilona was born to Johan and Adelhaide Fietze on March 19, 1927 in St. Joseph. She was a graduate of St. Joseph High School as Valedictorian of her class in 1945. Then graduated from University of Michigan with a B.S. in Education. She married George Jackson on July 10, 1949 at Trinity Lutheran in St. Joseph. After the passing of her husband in 1966 she was owner and president of the Twin Cities Coca-Cola Bottling Company until she sold in 1980. During her ownership, she was elected the first woman president of the Michigan Soft Drink Association. She served on the Board of Directors of United Way and also the Board of Directors of YMCA. She returned to teaching, tutoring and substituting in her retirement until 2009. She was a life member of Michigan Alumni Association and AAUW. She is survived by three daughters Suzanne Jackson of St. Joseph, Dawn (Mark) DenBoer of Naperville IL, Mary Elizabeth Kathe of Naperville IL; a son Charles Wallace Jackson of Menominee, MI.; 9 grandchildren Abraham, Courtney, Shannon, Maegan, Kelly, Kyle, Zachary, Abby, Molly and 8 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband George, a brother and sister.