Maggie Ann Jackson departed life on March 1, 2024 at her home in Springfield, IL.  She was born January 11, 1937 in Darlington Heights, VA, the daughter of Gertrude Dotson and Samuel Carthorne.   She was a member of Triumph Baptist Church in Darlington Heights, VA.  In 1953, at age 16, Maggie graduated from Robert Russa Moton high school which is considered the student birthplace of America’s Civil Rights Movement for its initial student strike and ultimate role in the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education case desegregating public schools.  After high school, Maggie moved to Washington, D.C. where she lived with her siblings and extended family.  While there, Maggie’s cousin introduced her to her future husband, Don Jackson from Springfield, IL, and they were married on September 8, 1962.  

 

Maggie started working for the federal government in 1955 as an accounting clerk for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington, D.C.  When she and Don moved to Evanston, IL in 1971 with their two sons, Maggie continued her career working for the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in Chicago, Illinois.  In 1983, Maggie started working for Northwestern University in the Student Housing Department as an accounting and budgeting clerk.  She became Northwestern University’s employee of the year in 1987.  In 1994, Maggie and Don retired and moved 

 

to Chesapeake, VA where they hosted family and devoted friends.  In 2018, Maggie moved with Don to Springfield, IL.

 

Besides being a stellar employee, loving wife, and caring friend, Maggie loved nothing more than making her family and especially her grandchildren know they were loved beyond words through her care and her cooking.  Her cakes, cobblers, and pies were legendary, and you would travel any distance to enjoy her mouthwatering meals.  She was simply the sweetest, most caring person you could imagine, and found her greatest joy with making family and friends alike feel at home and comfortable. 

 

Maggie was preceded in death by her parents, and six of her eight siblings:  Elizabeth (Sang) Carrington, Beatrice Carthorne, Norman Carthorne, Ellen White, Alford Carthorne, and James Carthorne.

 

She leaves to cherish her memory her husband, Don Jackson, sons Barry (Alicia) Jackson and Byron (Carmelle) Jackson, brothers:  Rev. Richard Carthorne and Nathanial Carthorne, eight grandchildren:  Christopher Jackson, Kia (Michael) Worth, Chanel (Samuel) Donahue, Allison Jackson, Ashley Jackson, Alexandria Jackson, Maya Jackson, and Daniel Jackson, three great grandchildren:  Jaylen Donahue, Liam Worth, and Noah Worth, and a host of other relatives, and many devoted friends and neighbors.