Eugene Jackson

Funeral services for Eugene Tyrone Jackson will be held at Emmanuel Johnson Funeral Home on Friday, November 18th at 12:00 PM. Interment will follow at White Chapel Memorial Park in Feasterville, PA. The family will receive friends on Friday from 10:00 AM until noon at Emmanuel Johnson Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Penn Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Fund (https://apps.upenn.edu) or to the Philadelphia Tri-State Lupus Foundation of America (http://www.lupus.org).

Eugene Tyrone Jackson was born on September 27, 1968 to Delores Jackson and Jimmie Williams in Philadelphia, PA.

A 1986 graduate of William Penn High School, Eugene Jackson was an alumnus of Penn State University where he received his Bachelor’s in International Politics and minored in Middle Eastern Studies. He was proud of a semester spent in Cairo, Egypt. He later earned his Master of Business Administration in Finance from LaSalle University. During the course of his graduate studies, he again spent time abroad. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Eugene was proud of his city and frequently told others, “You just cannot go wrong in coming to Philly.” Eugene felt very connected to his various neighborhood homes during his lifetime in Philadelphia - West Philly as a child, Wynnefield as an adolescent, and Queen’s Village after returning to the city from State College. He loved his neighborhood and stayed at 8th and South for almost 20 years and, after moving, grew to love West Mt. Airy. Over  the past five years he and Kristy frequently hosted family events at their home, reminiscent of his times spent with his grandmother when he was younger.

Throughout his life Eugene was curious and described himself as interested in new and unknown worlds. This held true whether he was studying in Egypt, visiting various countries in Europe, exchanging intellectual discourse on Twitter, or embarking on perhaps the greatest unknown of all, falling in love and marrying a woman from New Orleans.

Eugene met Kristy in April 2010. For several years they maintained a long-distance relationship, with Eugene frequently visiting New Orleans. The two of them shared many interests, among those being a love of great food. It was in fact that love of food that inspired Eugene’s method of proposing to Kristy. They set themselves the arduous challenge of dining at all of the highly famed Brennan family restaurants in New Orleans – a difficult undertaking indeed. It was at their final restaurant that Eugene proposed, Kristy accepted, and Philly and NOLA would become forever linked in the Jackson-Brumfield family.

In 2018 their daughter Kira was born, and Eugene became a devoted father. From the start Eugene was mesmerized by his daughter and wanted her to grow up with advantages he had lacked. He was a proud father who dearly loved Kira and took great pleasure in watching her growth and development. Even the routine things that many parents take for granted were very special in his eyes. He appreciated the moments, both large and small.

Eugene was preceded in death by his mother, Delores Jackson; father, Jimmie Williams; brother, James Lionel Williams; grandparents, Minnie and Buck Williams, and his special “double” aunt, Joanne Williams.

He is survived by his wife, Dr. Kristy Alaine Brumfield; daughter, Kira Elaine Jackson; brother, Michael W. Jackson; uncle, Charles Williams, Godmother, Christia Hassell as well as a host of cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Among the many who held a special place in Eugene’s heart are the extended Little-Williams family, the extended Coit-Brumfield family, his friends, and colleagues. He was immensely grateful for the relationships he built at Vanguard, where he worked for the past 17 years; and the coworkers and neighbors he connected with during his almost 25 years at The Foodery on 10th and Pine.

Eugene’s life is an inspiration to us all. Despite the many obstacles he faced as a young man, including the death of his mother at a young age, he persevered and thrived. Despite his decade long battle with neuroendocrine cancer, a diagnosis as rare and unique as he was, Eugene remained an optimist. He was a fighter, who naturally, being from Philly, cued the Rocky theme song in his mind many times. Despite each setback, his work ethic was second to none.

Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of this special man. In sickness and with a terminal diagnosis he believed life is a great thing. In mourning, he would tell us life is a great thing. And in celebration of his life and of our own today, he would remind us, life is a great thing.

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