Jacquelyn Yvonne Burks Lee Erwin was born on September 2, 1946, in Dothan, Alabama, to Mrs. Lillie Burks and the Reverend Timothy Burks–and she also was doubly blessed to have Mrs. Lorene Lee and Mr. Ralph Lee as parents. After graduating from Carver High School in 1963, she attended Xavier University and Talladega College earning a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1968. After working with Big Brothers and Sisters in Philadelphia, she returned to school and earned her master’s degree in Agency Counseling in 1979.

Jackie was known for her homemade cakes, peach cobblers, feisty attitude, and opinions of the way things should be; she was also known for being kind-hearted, loving, and giving toward all those she met. She rarely held anything back. And yes, you often needed to do it Jackie’s way. But honestly, Jackie’s way was mostly the best and most succinct way and it was bound to turn out right the first time. Jackie was someone you would never forget. Her positive outlook about things was always, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat without getting hair in your mouth.” She was there for you during difficult times so when it seemed you had no place to go and didn’t know what to do, Jackie would say “baby be still–God’s got this”. She would say, “Just wait things are going to work out just the way they are ‘posed to’”. You might not have always agreed with either her ways or her attitude about things, until you did a rethink. It might even make you a little angry that she was mostly always right. But after knowing her you too would have found yourself calling Jackie just to see what her opinion or her thoughts were on any endeavor you sought. She was also a confidant. Your secret was her secret. Your pain was her pain. Your hurts were her hurts. She was a believer, a prayer warrior, one who was always aware of her imperfections but one who also believed that God loved her and used her to serve His will, in spite of her imperfections. This beautiful design of God was lent to us to brighten and ease our loads. And she did just that.

After returning to Dothan in 1986 she was involved in basic and applied research as a psychology technician at the US Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, in Fort Rucker, Alabama, and later began developing and administering employee services as a Personnel Staffing Specialist, Director of Human Resource with the Civilian Personnel Division while still at Fort Rucker. Her life took a completely different turn, a new chapter was unfolded; she met and married the love of her life, Calvin Erwin III and moved to Pennsauken, New Jersey. She then became the purchasing agent within the corporate office of Burlington Coat Factory, in Burlington, New Jersey, where she continued her “Jackie” ways of organizing and being the unexpected but dependable storm this company needed. After retiring in 2010 she became a wonderful gardener and almost full time baker to anyone who wanted her services until God called her home to his bosom on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2013. Even this would be special to Jackie–making her departure Home on Easter!

Her memory will be cherished by her husband, Calvin Erwin III; her son, Oscar Page III; her stepchildren Shawn and Nikita Erwin and their children, Shaun, Nina Simone, and Nyheem of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; her stepchildren A. Tromaine and Malika Erwin and their children, Christian, Dominique, and Aaliyah of Charlotte, North Carolina; and her siblings and their spouses: Carolyn and David Long of Dothan, Alabama; and Tony and Sabine Burks of Winnweiler, Germany. Her legacy will be sustained by her nieces and nephews: Karen Patrick Davis of Inkster, Michigan; Karl Patrick of Southfield, Michigan; Thomas Durdin of Winter Park, Florida; Tony Lamair Burks II of Atlanta, Georgia; Bryce Cobb III and Vashti Newton of Inkster, Michigan; Justice Durdin and Faith Durdin of Enterprise, Alabama; and Bryce Cobb IV and Ryin Harmony Cobb of Inkster, Michigan. Others who count it a blessing to have known her are her cousins; sisters-in-law; members of the Yelverton, Carter, Smith, Williams, Eddings, Kelley, Anglin, Patrick, Page, Lee, Long, Jones, Burks, and Potter families; and a host of friends and loved ones. She was preceded in death by her parents, Mrs. Lillie Mae Carter Smith Burks and the Reverend Timothy M. Burks; and Mrs. Lorene Yelverton Lee and Mr. Ralph A. Lee; and her sister, Gwendolyn Paul.