Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 12-25-18

Feature
Popular Musician Dies After Lengthy Illness
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
On Saturday, a popular church musician passed away after a lengthy illness at Kindred Hospital. Mrs. Dorthenia Hicks Jack- son was 67-years-old.
A Tampa native, Mrs. Hicks Jackson attended the public schools of Hills- borough County. After grad- uating from Middleton High School, she continued her education at Bethune-Cook- man College. She earned her final credits while attending the University of South Florida, and was presented her B. S. Degree in Educa- tion.
Mrs. Hicks Jackson
then became a member of the Hillsborough County Classroom Teachers Associ-
ation for 28 years. She re- tired as the Assistant Princi- pal at Shaw Elementary School in 2010.
Mrs. Hicks Jackson was married to Sammie L. Jackson and was the mother of 3 daughters and 1 son. She was a member of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, in Lake Wales.
Mrs. Hicks Jackson
loved to travel, but playing the piano and going to church brought her the most enjoyment.
Blessed with a natural talent, Mrs. Hicks Jack- son launched her career as a pianist at the age of 12. “She was everyone’s favorite musician. She has inspired and motivated many to ful- fill their calling, whether through her playing, her singing, or her words,” her
MRS. DORTHENIA HICKS JACKSON 2/15/1951 --- 12/23/2018
churches she played for through the years included Progressive M. B. Church, in Wauchula. Some of the churches she played for in Tampa included: Bethel AME Church, First Baptist Church of College Hill, Mt. Pleasant M. B. Church, and Greater Friendship M. B. Church.
Mrs. Hicks Jackson
also served as the musician for the Union Foreign Mis- sionary Baptist Association as well as the Music Director for the Union #3 Choir, the Youth Department in the Union, and the Baptist Asso- ciation State Convention.
Her daughters said, “She was an amazing vocalist, pi- anist, and woman of God. Her gift will be sorely missed, but in her words, ‘When you hear of my home- going, don’t worry about me.’”
In addition to her hus- band and children, Mrs. Hick Jackson is survived by other family members and friends.
Funeral services for Mrs. Hicks Jackson will be held on Saturday, Decem- ber 29, 2018, at 11 a.m., at New Mount Zion M. B. Church. Ray Williams Fu- neral Home is in charge of handling arrangements.
daughters, Ms. DeAnna Jackson, Mrs. Alicia Coffie, and Ms. Sammitta Jackson-Walker said.
She began playing for her father, the late Rev. S. D. Hicks, and they traveled throughout the state. After her father became the pastor of a small church in Lake Wales, Mrs. Hicks Jack- son became their musician and helped to transform the music program into one of the most recognized in the state.
During her tenure as their musician, the choir traveled as far north as New York and as far south as Miami, performing for their audiences.
Having her own unique style of music, Mrs. Hicks Jackson never compro- mised her skills. She could pick up any and every song, and if there wasn’t a musi- cian, she would walk up to the piano and began playing, they said.
Some of the other
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