Edward James Jackson

Edward James Jackson was born on January 14, 1964 in Brooklyn, New York to the late Julia Mae Jackson and William James Jackson during one of the most memorable and severe blizzards, which accumulated more than 12.5” of snow. He was the fourth of five children. Edward entered into eternal rest on Sunday, April 27, 2025 in Marietta, GA at the age of 61.

As a child, Edward took on a nickname, Ricky, that would endure for his lifetime. The nickname was brought on by the iconic and well-loved television show I Love Lucy because he possessed a hair texture similar to Ricky Ricardo, one of the show’s protagonists. More people knew him as Ricky than by his birth name. 

Edward inherited two traits from his mother - a love of fashion, and an appreciation of food. In his youth, Edward refused to wear attire that everyone else had; often telling his mother that she couldn’t shop for his school clothing at Alexander’s, a popular department store, because everyone shopped there. His individual style was an integral part of his charm. Edward had a passion for fashion that was impossible to ignore—his closet was a kaleidoscope of textures, colors, and silhouettes collected from thrift shops and runway trends. Clothing, to him, was more than fabric; it was a language he used to express who he was and how he felt each day. He could spend hours mixing vintage pieces with modern staples, turning sidewalks into his personal catwalk. For Edward, every outfit told a story—and he was always ready to tell a new one. 

As part of the first generation of hip hop, having grown up during its infancy and watching the art form develop from its naissance in late 70s to the 2000s, he was a huge fan and practically a historian of the genre. As a young man and well into his later years, he enjoyed listening to hip hop music and was a great admirer of rappers like Rakim, Eric B, the Lox, Onyx, and DMX. He enjoyed talking and teaching about the music he grew up listening to. He would pass his niece mixtapes and lend her CDs for listening. 

Ever abreast of what was new and interesting, he was very tech savvy and used his abilities to learn more about telecommunications and other nascent technologies like graphic art and video games. He enjoyed playing video games and would often watch his nieces and nephews along with his children by getting them altogether in the living room to play with and against each other for hours. They thoroughly enjoyed these gaming marathons. Ricky  would sit in the back of the living room on his beloved ornate wooden throne chair with the Rastafarian lion of Judah engraved on the back. And he was always available to host them. 

Edward had an insatiable love for food that colored every part of his life. Whether it was the comforting aroma of his mother’s lasagna simmering in the oven or the thrill of discovering a hidden street vendor selling the crispiest dumplings, food brought him deep joy and connection. For Edward, food wasn’t just sustenance—it was culture, history, adventure, and above all, love on a plate.

Edward built a strong career as an Information Technology specialist in the aviation industry where he played a vital role in keeping critical systems running smoothly behind the scenes. Whether he'd troubleshoot network issues, ensure cybersecurity protocols are up to date, or help employees navigate software challenges, Edward approached every task with precision and a calm, solutions-first mindset. He took great pride in supporting the technology that kept flights on time, customer data secure, and operations running efficiently around the globe.

In addition to his loving parents, William and Julia, Edward was preceded in death by nine of his beloved aunts and uncles; Samuel, Rose, William, Emily, Eloise, Ruth, Robert, Carol and Lincoln, and a brother-in-law, Lincoln James. 

Edward leaves to cherish his adoring wife, Chenera Jackson; four children Skyler Jackson (Shakira) of New Jersey; Tayler Jackson (Jasmine) of Texas; Marcus Jackson (Tyler) of Virginia and Shannon Jackson of New York; seven young grandchildren Harrison, Cairo, Zion, Nyle, Charley, Hasan, Skyler Jr.; siblings Dorothy James of New York; Barbara Gethers of South Carolina; Cicero Jackson of New York; and Alicia Jackson of New Jersey; sisters-in-law Chewina Kellman, Dalana Kellman and Keshia Kellman; and brother in law, Clayton M. Kellman; many cousins, nieces, nephews and dear friends. 

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