Betty Jackson

Betty Lou (Pete) Jackson, 88, of Indianapolis passed away peacefully in her sleep in her home on Thursday, February 27, 2014 after a brief illness. Betty was born on June 25, 1925 in Yarmouth, ME to the late Hilda Petersen (Svensen) and Simon Petersen. After completing high school at North Yarmouth Academy in 1943, she graduated from Wellesley School of Nursing in Wellesley, MA in 1946. Betty had a long career as a delivery room nurse at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis before retiring in 1995. She was a member of Broadway United Methodist Church in Indianapolis for more than 65 years, and married her husband of 62 years, the late Howard Richard Jackson, there on Sept. 30, 1950. It was Howard who gave her the nickname "Pete" based on her maiden name. Betty loved Little League baseball, first when her three boys played, and later she watched the tournament games on television, marveling at the poise of the young athletes. She took care of the birds in her yard - hummingbirds in the summer and sparrows and finches in the winter. She enjoyed gardening, Scrabble, crossword puzzles, and jigsaw puzzles. Betty loved to do things to make others happy, and one way she did this was through her outstanding cooking skills. Above all, she was devoted to her family. Betty was predeceased by her husband Howard and by her brother, Harvey, and sisters, Mildred and Lillian. She is survived by her four devoted children: Steven (Betsy) of Ridgewood, NJ; Phillip (Joan) of Carmel; David (Amy) of Avon; and Susie (Jon Martin) of Zionsville; eight loving grandchildren: Eric Marburger (fiancée Carolyn Kaflik) of Indianapolis; Dan (Melinda) of Valhalla, NY; Matt of Indianapolis; Nathan Leadingham and Jaret of Avon; and Rachel, Nick, and Natalie of Carmel; and several nieces and nephews. You are invited to go to the Guest Book page to pass along your personal message or tell a story. Sincerely, -Your friends at Flanner and Buchanan