Delores Elizabeth (Jackson) Wood

Delores Elizabeth (Jackson) Wood was born on November 22 ^nd , 1932 to the late Elwood Jackson, Sr. and Virgie (Tull) Jackson in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. She was called home on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 at Lankenau Hospital with her family by her side.

Delores, lovingly called “Weensie” received her early education in the Wilkes-Barre school system. She was a graduate of Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Junior/Senior High School and also attended Luzerne County Community College. Hair and make-up was her next achievement as she attended Empire Beauty School short after LCC.

In 1983 Gram, as she was known to her grandchildren, was joined in marriage with Lorenzo Wood in Wilkes- Barre, Pennsylvania until his death before the turn of the decade.

As a youth and young adult, Weensie served at the Mount Zion Baptist Church as an usher and on the youth choir. She was formerly employed as a teacher’s assistant by the Head Start Program of Luzerne County and a nursing assistant at the White Haven Nursing Home.

Weensie later became a member of the Order of the Eastern Stars and the Elks Club of Bethlehem. She really enjoyed being part of these organizations. She loved spending time at home crocheting for family and friends. One of her favorite things to do was to watch movies on which she called Home Box. She had a special thing for vampire movies. This was a love that she shared with her daughter Candy.

To be beautiful, is to be Weensie! She gave her family, friends, and all who came in contact with her much elegance, much poise, and much glamour.  As a young beauty in Wilkes-Barre with her long jet black hair and her Coca-Cola shaped body, people who saw Weensie often proclaimed that her beauty preceded her as she entered any environment.

Her beauty wasn’t the only thing Gram was known for though.  Her humor and truth came out in any environment and with whomever she encountered. Weensie was a colorful and lively woman. Family gatherings always left everyone in happy spirits because of her up front and honest speech. To experience Gram is to be familiar with one of her most popular sayings, “Am I right or wrong?” With Gram, you never knew what she would say that would leave you either laughing or in tears. For instance, “That Ka-Meach… she don’t know if she is coming or going!”  Gram was guaranteed to speak the truth. One didn’t have to worry about that around her.  She was quick to share what she thought. Something that family and friends loved most about her. Weensie gave you the best of her… EVERYTIME.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lorenzo Wood; a brother, Elwood Jackson, Jr. and sister, Marion Hill.

Our mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, cousin, and friend left a legacy for all of us. Weensie leaves memories with sons, Virgil Jackson, twins, James and John Jackson and Andre Jackson; daughters Anncronette Pringle, Michelle Jackson-Ware, Desiree Jackson-Sims, Relvia Jackson-Tucker and Casmara Rineheimer; One daughter-in-law, Willieen and one son-in-law, Sanford; Two sisters,  Shirley Lewis and Jean Jackson; grandchildren, Ka-Meach Pringle, DeVon and Maxine Jackson, Brandon Jackson, Omarr Hill, Lovona Spry, Daniel Sims, Lucas Jackson, Emerald Sims, Keira Jackson, LaVell Tucker & Neil Tucker ; great-grandchildren, Tyrin, Ethan and Xavier as well as a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 17, 2015 at First Baptist Church, 48 S. River St., Wilkes-Barre, PA.  Pastor Steven Walker, Bishop of Abundant Life Fellowship Church, Philadelphia, will officiate. Friends may call from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Online condolences are available at kniffenfuneralhome.com.

Kniffen O’Malley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.