Cheryl Kay Jackson

Cheryl (Richardson) Jackson of Greeley, CO, went to be with her Lord and Savior after a short hospitalization in Las Cruces, NM, on April 2, 2024. Her son T.W. Jackson of Las Cruces, NM, and daughter Amy Hanks of Orlando, FL, were with her as she passed at the Mesilla Valley Hospice center. She was 79 years old.

Cheryl was born in Denver, CO, on August 1, 1944, and moved to Yuma, CO, after her parents were divorced. She spent her primary education years in Yuma, CO, where she developed many lifelong friendships and met her future husband, Bill Jackson. She was devoted to maintaining these relationships through regular luncheons and class reunions that she assisted to coordinate for many years. During these formative years in Yuma, she was inspired by her mother’s strength and dedication to her students, lending to her desire to become a teacher also. Cheryl moved to Greeley to study education at Colorado State College (now University of Northern Colorado), graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1966 and more lifelong friends. She married Bill at the First Presbyterian Church in Yuma on December 19, 1964, and started her first teaching job in Mesa, AZ, in the fall of 1966 where she supported Bill as he earned his degree after separating from the Navy. They moved to Sterling, CO then on to Greeley in 1977, where she lived in the same home until her recent move to New Mexico to be closer to her son and his family. During her time in Greeley, she worked a variety of jobs, including as a substitute teacher, and various roles over more than twenty-five years at the University of Northern Colorado. After retiring from UNC in the late 2000’s, she enjoyed traveling with Bill to visit friends and family, a highlight of which was an extended trip to visit her daughter Amy and family in Italy, as well as several extended family members in the United Kingdom. She always enjoyed regular meals with friends and family (breakfast, so long as it wasn’t too early, was always her favorite) and became known as a consummate food critic to those in her close inner circle.

She is survived by her son, T.W. Jackson and wife Jennifer of Las Cruces, NM, and their five children Emma, Hunter, Jacob, Caleb, and Lillia; daughter Amy and husband Glenn Hanks of Orlando, FL, and their two children, Meaghan and Killian; her brother Oliver Richardson and Joan Flory of Fort Collins, CO; her brother Dave and Cathy Richardson of Meridian, ID; and her sister-in-law Barbara and Bob Ingalls of Yuma, CO.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill Jackson, and parents Dale and Gwynetha (Robertson) Richardson, as well as many aunts and uncles.

A memorial reception will be held from 11:00am to 2:00pm on August 3, 2024, at the Tavern at Saint Michael’s Square (2918 67th Ave, Greeley, CO 80634). There is no formal program planned; the reception is an opportunity for friends to come and go, enjoy one another’s companionship and some light refreshment at one of her favorite restaurants, and remember Cheryl’s life. The family requests donations to NOCO Humane (https://www.nocohumane.org/) in lieu of flowers, in Cheryl’s memory and love for her many pets, the last of which, “Tiny”, survived her. Alternately, she was a dedicated supporter of The Weld County Food Bank (https://weldfoodbank.org/donate-now/) and would be honored to know her support encouraged others to help those in need.