GUIDA JACKSON
08/30/1929 - 04/27/2024
Guida Myrl Miller Jackson August 30, 1929 to April 27, 2024
It is with great sadness that the family of Guida
Myrl Jackson announces her passing on April 27, 2024 at the age of 94. Guida Jackson, Ph.D. was an author, teacher, editor, publisher, writing mentor, musician, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Guida was born in 1929, during the Dust Bowl in Clarendon, Texas, to James H. Miller and Ina (Benson) Miller. She was fortunate to have a younger sister Glenda come along 12 years later to finally give her a sibling to love and tease.
A seminal childhood moment was when Guida’s sixth grade English teacher, Ms. James, submitted her poem “The Younger Generation” to a local newspaper. Before finishing sixth grade, she had written two books which were loaned to other students for a penny, and saw her play “Henry Auldridge” staged by the school. Her path forward had been laid: she would be a writer.
The family moved to Amarillo in 1941 where her father designed and built homes. Guida entered Texas Tech University in 1947, earning a B.A. in Journalism in 1951. It was there she met her future husband, Lamar Jackson, who coincidentally, was the son of her English professor. They married in the summer of 1951 and the couple moved to Houston so Lamar could attend medical school while Guida found a job teaching at Pershing High School. Lamar’s medical residency later took the couple to Fort Worth, where their first son Jeff, was born in 1954. A second son, Andy was born in 1956 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, after Lamar had entered the Army. The couple then briefly moved to Henderson, TX, where a third son, Tucker was born in 1959.
In 1960 the family settled in Houston where Guida raised her children and taught piano lessons, keeping an active roster of about 15 students for the next 14 years. A fourth child, daughter Annabeth, came along in 1966. Family life kept her busy but Guida continued to write novels, poems, and essays in her spare time and several pieces appeared in “Houston Town and Country Magazine.” She began editing the “Touchstone Literary Quarterly” in 1976, a role she would maintain for most of her life. That year, she also joined a new venture, “Texas Country Western Magazine,” ultimately becoming the managing editor.
Guida’s literary career took a more central role in her life in 1979 when her novel, “Passing Through” was published by the prestigious Simon & Schuster. Two more works were published in
1980 including the play “The Lamentable Affair of the Vicar’s Wife.” In 1985, Guida earned a Masters of Arts from California State University in Third World Literature. The following year, Guida married the artist William Laufer and the couple moved to The Woodlands, TX. She was a guest lecturer at the University of Houston and led a writer’s group that regularly met at her house. In 1990, Guida earned a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the International Institute for Advanced Studies. She also was a creative writing instructor at Montgomery College through much of the decade.
Some of Guida’s most important works were published in the 1990’s, including “Encyclopedia of Traditional Epics,” “Encyclopedia of Literary Epics,” and “Women Rulers Throughout the Ages.” These authoritative reference books are in libraries worldwide. In 2000, Guida opened her publishing house Panther Creek Press with the mission of giving lesser-known Texas authors access to a wider readership. Panther Creek published some 40 titles of fiction, non-fiction and poetry.
After husband Bill died in 2006, Guida moved into an independent living apartment at Eagle’s Trace in west Houston. She met and fell in love with another resident, the charming Scotsman Jack Hume, who shared her love of writing. The two married in 2008 when she was 79 years of age and she eagerly fell into attending the regular Burns Suppers and enjoyed all things Scottish.
Jack preceded Guida in death in 2018 and she lost her daughter Annabeth Jackson Dugger (Steve) of Longview to COVID-19 in 2021. She is survived by her younger “Sis” Glenda Miller Lowery (Davis) of Amarillo, niece Stephanie Noggler and her daughter Trinity Esparza (Chris) of Amarillo, nephew Troy Lowery (Jan) and their children Rance (Melissa) and Jace of Amarillo. She is also survived by her children Dr. Jeffrey Jackson (Linda) of Sugar Land, Andy Jackson (Mary) of Houston, and Tucker Jackson (Patty) of Portland, Oregon. Grandchildren include Nicole Bothwell of Marion, Illinois and her children Daesin and Demryn, Dr. Gregory Jackson of Austin, Elizabeth Jackson Kelley (Ryan) of Austin, Mattie Jackson of Houston, Ella Jackson Talbot (Rich) of Houston, Daniel Ramos of Longview, Ashley Ramos Beal (G.C.) of Longview and their children “Big” Caden, “Little” Caiden, and Kyler, and Michael Ramos of Gilmer.
Guida’s family will miss her love, wit and sage advice. The grandchildren will always remember her fondly for the little sayings that she regularly whispered in their ears, such as “ADRT. Always do the right thing.”
A Celebration of Life will be held at Noon on Saturday, May 18th, 2024 at the Sugar Land Mortuary, 1818 Eldridge Road, Sugar Land, TX. The service can be viewed virtually by visiting the venue’s website https://slmortuary.com/ and searching under obituaries for “Guida Jackson.”
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Houston SPCA or the charity of your choice.