Artist Ruth Jackson remembered through her art and service
Christian. Artist. Volunteer. Teacher. Friend.
Ruth Jackson, a well-known lady throughout the Abilene community, exemplified what it means to live life in service of others.
“I have heard different stories of Ruth over time, and I can tell you different things she said or different things she did. But the most amazing thing about Ruth was her constant presence in people’s lives,” Jackson’s friend Dodd Roberts said.
Jackson was known for her volunteerism and artistry in Abilene. She taught classes and worked with adults and children with various organizations including Hope Haven, Highland Church of Christ, the Rehab Center, The State School, the Christian Service Center, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the Grace Museum and the Alliance for Women and Children.
In a 2019 article with Abilene Reporter-News, Jackson mentioned her motivation behind her service.
“God gave me a talent that I can use to bless others and glorify Him,” Jackson said in the article.
Since that time, Jackson continued to live in service of Christ until her passing in October 2023.
“She showed me what it means to treat people and love people like Jesus would,” Roberts said.
After attending her memorial service, Roberts reflected on Jackson’s impact on those in the community, even though her accomplishments were not always recognized.
“I have attended services for government officials, CEOs, vice presidents of organizations. People that their deeds and their accomplishments are in the public eye. I think Ruth was no less accomplished than anybody like that, but her accomplishments were always under the radar. They were done in prisons, assisted living homes, places like Grace Fellowship, Disability Resources, with people in addiction recovery, people in other nations and by bedsides,” Roberts said.
He described her as someone who was “giving, thoughtful, funny, and kind without judgment.”
A memory Roberts shared of Jackson included her mission of making everyone feel seen. At their church, she would make name tags for every person attending their events, regardless of if it was their first time or 300th time there.
“She will always have a part of our hearts,” Terry St. Pierre, Highland Church of Christ Elder and friend, said.
“She was selfless and kind. Her heart honest and pure. She could never say no to helping those in need. She would find joy and contentment in knowing that someone is having a better life because of her. She was always about the Father's business,” St. Pierre continued.
Jackson would often stop by St. Pierre’s auto repair business after her weekly art class for the inmates at the Taylor County Jail. He recalls her hand often in a candy bowl at his office and stopping for a repair after her plastic bumper fell off her car in front of the Center for Contemporary Arts.
“It got to a point where we just used duct tape as a temporary fix. We always had a laugh when Ruth came to visit,” St. Pierre stated.
Over the years, St. Pierre mentioned how Jackson welcomed 20 foreign students attending Abilene Christian University to stay in her home during their time in Abilene. He shared a note from one of those students Jackson helped. Grace, an international student from Malaysia, described Ms. Ruth as “friendly, warm, inviting, caring and fun-loving.”
“She played an essential role in transforming Abilene into a second home for me. Through [her] I learned how friends become family and how love can be shown in so many ways,” she wrote.
Her impact on the people she interacted will always be remembered through her art.
“Ruth’s love language was art and painting,” St. Pierre said. “She was one of a kind. A community treasure.”
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Artist Ruth Jackson remembered through her art and service
