Samuel A. Jackson, Sr.

Samuel Aurlia “Sam” Jackson, Sr., age 81, of Savanna, Illinois, died Saturday, April 10, 2010 at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center, Rockford, Illinois. A funeral service will be held 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at the First Presbyterian Church, Savanna, with Reverend Michael Wey officiating. Burial will be at the Spring Lake Cemetery, Savanna. Visitation will be held from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at the Law-Jones Funeral Home, Savanna with a Masonic service held at 8:00 p.m.. A memorial fund has been established in Sam’s memory. Sam was born March 6, 1929 in Danville, Illinois, the son of Aurlia and Helen Frances (Atkinson) Jackson. He is a 1946 graduate of the Danville, Illinois High School and then attended the University of Illinois, Champaign. On November 14, 1951, Sam married Marie Dick in Bethany, Illinois.Sam began his career with Western Electric Co. in Chicago. He then worked for the U.S. Government for thirty-three years installing phone systems all across the U. S. and parts of Europe. He was proud of assisting with one of the first computer installations in Germany. Sam, Marie and their family moved to Savanna in 1968. After retirement, Sam drove a school bus for the Savanna School Dist. For thirteen years.Family was always most important to Sam. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Savanna; the Mississippi Mason Lodge, Savanna; Freeport Consistory; and the Tebala Shrine, Rockford. He could fix anything electrical or mechanical. Some of the best days of his life were spent with family or friends on the golf course.Sam will be dearly missed by his wife, Marie of Savanna; a daughter, Marjorie Jackson and David Komiskey of Savanna; four sons, Samuel (Patti) Jackson, Jr. of Savanna, Howard (Paula) Jackson of Rowlett, Texas, Alex (Kathy) Jackson of Roscoe, Illinois and Tony (Debra) Jackson of Savanna; fourteen grandchildren; seventeen great grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; and three sisters, Jean (Lloyd) Helper of Fort Collins, Colorado, Fran (Jim) Welch of Champaign, Illinois and Mary (Don) Soupe of Homer, Illinois. He is preceded in death by his parents and a grandson, Jeremy.