Mavis Jackson

Mavis Kathryn Berry Jackson, a charismatic and inspiring figure, passed away on December 15, 2024. Born on November 3, 1939, to J.B. Berry, Sr. and Mary Lee Berry, Mavis was a beacon of creativity and talent that lit up the city of Dayton, Ohio, where she resided for 55 years. Her birth surname, Berry, was a testament to her roots that she wore with pride.

Mavis was a devoted wife to Cleodis Jackson, whom she married on September 10, 1963 and shared 27 beautiful years of love until his passing on December 18, 1990. She was a beloved mother to her sons, Drexell and Kirven Jackson, and a cherished mother-in-law to Jacqueline Jackson. In her life's journey, she was a source of joy and inspiration for her granddaughters, Brittany Johnson and Breon Lyles, and great-grandsons, Emery and Amary Lyles and Braeden Johnson.

Mavis was an outstanding educator at Dayton Public Schools from1969 until her retirement in 1987. She was known for her innovative teaching methods and her ability to inspire her students to dream big and achieve their potential. Her classroom was a fertile ground for creativity, where the seeds of knowledge were sown with love and nurtured with care. As Albert Einstein once said, "It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge," and Mavis was indeed a master of this art.

In her free time, Mavis loved shopping, traveling, and immersing herself in the world of literature. Her zest for life was infectious and she embraced each day with enthusiasm and a positive spirit. Mavis was preceded in death by her husband, Cleodis Jackson, and her parents, J.B. Berry, Sr. and Mary Lee Berry, as well as her siblings, J.B. Berry, Jr., Jai L. Jackson, Peggy J. Weathersby, Dorothy Williams, and Jewel Floyd.
Her beloved brother in law, Delaunce Jackson, and beloved sister in law, Juanita Jackson, also proceeded her in death.

A visitation and celebration of Mavis' life will be held on Friday, January 3, 2025, at 8:00 AM EST at the W.E. Lusain Funeral Home & Crematory in Ohio, located at 2060 Germantown Street, Dayton, Ohio, 45417. The interment will take place later that day at 10:00 AM EST at the Dayton National Cemetery, located at 4400 West Third Street, Dayton, Ohio, 45428.

We invite you to join us in celebrating the life of Mavis Jackson, a woman who touched so many with her warmth, charm, and zest for life. Please share your memories and photos of Mavis on her memorial page, so that we can all remember the joy she brought into our lives.

The family of Mavis Jackson wishes to express our deepest gratitude for the overwhelming responses sent regarding our Mother. We knew she was an inspiration to us, but we now know that she inspired countless others during her journey.