October 27, 1950 ~ August 25, 2023 (age 72)
Dr. Gayle Latricia Martin Jackson, Ph.D., age 72, passed away peacefully at Candler Hospital on August 25, 2023 in Savannah, GA., with her beloved husband, Dr. Alvin Jackson, by her bedside holding her hand. Gayle was born October 27, 1950 in Baltimore Maryland to the late Abraham Martin Sr. and Mattie Glenn Martin. She was the fifth of six children born to this marriage.
She graduated from Western High School in Baltimore Maryland in 1968. Western High School, founded in 1844, is the oldest public all-girls high school remaining in the United States. In 1972, she graduated with honors from Morgan State University with a BS in Chemistry and a minor in Mathematics. During her college years she did summer studies at Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania. She later attended The Ohio State University, in Columbus, OH, for graduate studies, where she met her future husband, Alvin Jackson. They were married on November 25th, 1977 in Detroit, MI. In 1981, she graduated from The Ohio State University with a Ph.D. in Pharmacology.
After graduation, she worked at Chemical Abstracts, a division of the American Chemical Society. She was an associate editor and worked there for 17 years. In addition, she was an adjunct assistant professor of Pharmacology at The Ohio State University.
Dr. Gayle Jackson was one of the founding members of the Central Seventh Day Adventist Church in Columbus, OH. She was well known for her cooking skills and especially for her yeast rolls. She and her husband often catered weddings and they hosted large dinner meals at their home after church services. She was active in youth groups, specifically the Pathfinders, a church-centered youth scouting group. She was a Pathfinder leader and was instrumental in helping the Pathfinders attend The Dare to Care - Camporee in Denver, CO in 1994.
In 1994, the family moved to Fremont, OH. Dr. Gayle Jackson, Ph.D. remained active in the community and with the youth. She worked with young people at T.A.S.C (Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime). She founded the African American College Club, to increase college enrollment among the African American youth of Fremont, OH. She hosted an annual college tour that took Fremont youths to visit colleges and universities throughout the United States. She also founded the Kente Cloth Draping Ceremony to honor students who were traditionally not recognized during high school graduation ceremonies. She was a part of the A.C.E. (Assisting Children to Excel) mentoring program at Fremont Junior High and Fremont Ross High School. She was an active school volunteer and even had her own office inside the high school.
While living in Fremont, she also worked with Africa House as treasurer and raised $15,000 to help ship 7 containers of medical supplies to Maryland County, Liberia for the JJ Dossen Hospital. She additionally helped raise another $10,000 in a revolving fund for student education for a school and mission operated by Africa House for 6 years. She personally traveled to Liberia to assess the needs of the school and hospital. She also supported an individual student, named Fiola, until she completed her education in Liberia.
She was on the Board of the Hayes Presidential Center in Fremont, OH, the first presidential center in the United States.
In 2015, Dr. Gayle Jackson and her husband Dr. Alvin Jackson moved to Savannah, GA. The move in part was to be closer to the Willow Hill Heritage & Renaissance Center, a museum dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Willow Hill School, founded in 1874, as one of the first schools for African Americans in Bulloch County Georgia. The museum was founded in 2005 by descendants of the original school founders, including Dr. Alvin Jackson, her husband. Dr. Gayle Jackson was the development director for the Willow Hill Heritage & Renaissance Center. She was a prolific grant writer, garnering many grants for the museum. Recently, she was most excited and proud of her work with the Techie Camp hosted by the Willow Hill Heritage & Renaissance Center and sponsored by the Nordson Foundation, Tech Core, and Smart Core. Techie Camp is a free, Computer Science camp offered to middle and elementary school students in Bulloch and surrounding counties.
She is the recipient of numerous awards. She was a mentor and mother to many.
Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her brothers Abraham Martin, Jr. and Bradley Martin. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Alvin Jackson; children: Dr. Nkenge Jackson- Flowers (Vincent) of Savannah, G.A., Dr. Atiba Jackson (Jessica) of Cincinnati, O.H., Jelani Jackson (Danielle) of Cincinnati, O.H., and Wiloise Jackson-Harper (Darien) of Savannah, G.A., and grandchildren: Johari Jackson, Amari Jackson, Jaleel Flowers, Liliana Jackson, Nia Flowers, Nyah Flowers, Salim Jackson and Leah Harper.
She also leaves to mourn her uncle Rev. Casper Glenn, aged 101, of Los Angeles, CA; three sisters Frances M. James of Columbia, SC., Mamie Martin Hightower and Felicia Egbe of Baltimore, MD.; sister-in law & nephew Theresa Jackson and Trefon Jackson of Columbus, OH; little mom Hazel Lee Allen of Portal, GA, and a host of other relatives and friends.
Walk-through viewing will be held on Saturday, September 2, 2023 from 5:00p.m.-7:00p.m. at Craig R. Tremble Funeral Home.
Celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, September 3, 2023 at 3:00p.m. at Willow Hill Heritage & Renaissance Center, 4235 Willow Hill Rd, Portal, GA 30450. She will be eulogized by family members.
Interment will be at the Historic Hodges Cemetery, 2 Chop Road, Portal, GA 30450
We will adhere to CDC guidelines.
Friends may sign the online register book at www.craigrtremblefuneralhome.com.
If you choose to send flowers to the family through our floral store, an independent florist will make delivery according to your instructions.
Celebration of life services have been entrusted to the care of Craig R. Tremble Funeral Homes, Inc., Statesboro Chapel, 238 West Main Street, Statesboro, Ga. 30458