February 23, 2025
Carolyn Elizabeth (Pitman) Jackson, 95, passed away peacefully in hospice at the Lowman Home and began her journey to heaven on Sunday, February 23, 2024. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, she was the only child of Dr. Carl Pitman and Gertrude Potter.
She grew up in Atlanta, attended North Fulton High School and Shorter College in Rome, Georgia. After college, Carolyn began working as a switchboard operator for the Southern Bell Telephone Company. In September 1955, she married a Georgia Tech student – Clarence Jackson. Reverend Clarence B. Jackson would soon become a Southern Baptist minister, providing Carolyn with her longest lasting and favorite career as a preacher’s wife. In 1956 she began a lengthy period of raising four children while working part-time and devoting many hours to her church community. Her employment positions included working as an elementary school teacher (primarily in Louisville, KY) and as an executive assistant at Athey Products Corporation (Wake Forest, NC). The majority of the 1970s were dedicated to her family as a stay-at-home mom. After the children left the roost, Carolyn and Clarence began their 12-year career as Southern Baptist Convention missionaries in Trinidad and Tobago from 1983-1995.
Post retirement from the mission field, she enjoyed spending time with her family and friends and recounting heartwarming stories from her life. Her positive energy charmed those around her. Carolyn’s optimism was evident just a week before her death when she was talking to the ICU doctor and the hospice care staff. When discussing dying, she said that “while she was not crazy about the process, once you get there, it’s wonderful.” She added that she was a Christian and now knew more people in heaven than on the earth and looked forward to seeing all those whom she had lost through the years (her father when she was just 14, her daughter, Susan, who was 19, her mother in the mid-1980’s, her husband in 2011, her 1st cousin/de facto sister, Peggy Harris, in 2023, and her many friends and other family members).
She was the loving mother of Susan E. Jackson (predeceased), Glenn C. Jackson of Austin, Texas, David W. Jackson and his wife, Rosemarie Magnani of Newton Centre, Massachusetts, and Steven A. Jackson and his wife, Randa Vegas, of Irmo, South Carolina; grandmother of David Jackson, Jr., Jennifer Jackson and Chris Jackson (Erin Crater), Robert Welles (Sarah Padilla), Sarah Jackson (Shane Phillips); and great grandmother of Audrina Martinez, Robert Welles, Ava Guerra, Aubrey Guerra, Aiden Welles, Lorelai Phillips, and Carter Phillips. She also leaves behind many other nieces, nephews, and cousins spread around the southern US, Massachusetts, Kansas, California, and other parts.
A graveside burial will take place on Saturday, March 1, at 10am at the Brinson Cemetery in Brinson, Georgia (3687 Dothan Road, zip code: 39817). A memorial service will be held at the Lowman
Home Chapel in Chapin, South Carolina, at a date to be announced (this notice will be updated when plans are finalized).
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Carolyn’s memory to the Dutch Fork Baptist Church (Give – Dutch Fork Church), the International Mission Board (Give To The International Mission Board – IMB Generosity), the Heritage at Lowman (https://www.theheritageatlowman.org/donate), the Wounded Warrior Project (Wounded Warrior Project – Donate),or Tunnel-to-Towers Foundation (https://t2t.org/donate/).
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
“For we believe that Jesus died and rose again; and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him”
On-line condolences may be sent at www.coxiveyfuneralhome.com. Cox-Ivey Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
She was a lovely friend here. It was true that she shared interesting stories about her life . She will be missed.
Steve, Randa, and family—our thoughts and prayers are with you. Carolyn was such a sweet lady. What a beautiful Christian witness even up to her last days on earth.