Gerald Jackson was born March 7th, 1943, in Hartford, Alabama. On June 23, 2022, at the age of 79, he moved to his permanent home and is now in the presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He was the fourth of five children born to Reverend Elbert and Thelma Anderson Jackson. He spent his childhood in rural Alabama, where his father pastored several Assemblies of God churches. Always a hard worker, he drove farm machinery and was even a school bus driver while still in high school. He was a gifted musician playing multiple instruments. Gerald loved to sing, and throughout his life was a bass singer in several vocal groups.  

He attended Southeastern Bible College in Lakeland, FL, where he met the love of his life, Gerri. Gerald worked as a shoe salesman while in college. He loved to tell the story of how he first held Gerri’s ankles before he ever held her hand, when he sold her a pair of shoes. They were married, August 17, 1963, at Gerri’s home church in Akron, Ohio. Their little family increased with the addition of Janis Lynne and then Jeffery Gerald, whom he adored and cherished. During his lifetime he held many different titles: Funeral Director, Prudential Insurance Agent, founder and co-owner of an aluminum construction company, entrepreneur who owned the first Apple Computer store in his town, a piano and organ store, and a Christian book store. His last title was an Assemblies of God Missionary. The titles he treasured most, however, were those of husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather. Throughout his secular careers, he was a supporter of missions, and not only donated his finances, but also his time. As a private pilot, he flew and helped missionaries in Jamaica and the Bahamas. When he was appointed as a missionary at the age of 40, he was humbled that God would choose him.  

He truly enjoyed every day of his assignments, including International Media Ministries (IMM), International Correspondence Institute (ICI) in Brussels, Belgium, Spanish Television and Radio(STAR), and finally as Representative for Foreign Construction for the Assemblies of God World Missions. Over a period of 17 years, his footprints were in 111 countries, and his handprints were on scores of Churches and Bible Schools. He also coordinated sending thousands of lay people overseas to assist missionaries with construction. For more than a decade after his retirement, he continued to bring teams into Cuba to build churches across the island country. He saw more of the island than most Cubans who live there. Because his wife, Gerri, was unable to accompany him on many of his trips around the world, he often said that she stayed home and worked to support his missionary habit! During his retirement, he enjoyed golfing. He also bought a motor home and drove it to Alaska, where he worked for two seasons as a tour bus driver for Princess Cruises. He was known to be a fixer and handyman and was always happy to help his kids, or the many friends and neighbors who called on him. 

Gerald is survived by his wife of 58 years, Gerri Jackson; his children Janis and Tim Hayes, and Jeff and Elizabeth Jackson; grandchildren Jessica and Kamal Sajja, Elizabeth and Ben Braun, Madeline Hayes, Gabrielle and Carson Fink, Owen Jackson, Jackson Hayes, Lukas Jackson, Avery Jackson, and Eliot Jackson; great grandchildren Aden Braun, Jude Sajja, and a new baby girl Braun coming in September; Sister Gloria Faye Williams, and sister-in-law Gloria Jackson, brother and sister-in-law Marilyn and Bob Hook, and brother-in-law Ray Wells;  a host of nieces, nephews and friends. He is surrounded by loved ones in Heaven, including his parents, his grandson Christian, brother Bobby, sister and brother-in-law Joyce and Bill Lingo, sister and brother-in-law Mary and August Schuh, brother-in-law Alan Williams, and sister-in-law Judy Wells. 

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Greenlawn Funeral Home North, in Springfield, Missouri.  Visitation will be held on Saturday, July 9, at 10:00 am., with the funeral following at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Cemetery, Springfield, Missouri. Memorial Contributions may be made to The Warriors Journey/ Ukraine at https://thewarriorsjourney.org/ukraine/.