The Bakersfield Californian http://www.bakersfield.com/04-04-2004/obits/story/4609433p-4657173c.html Okie Varner Jacks Feb. 14, 1916 Mar. 30, 2004 Okie was born in Harrison, Arkansas, the daughter of Bessie Mae Cloud and William Alvah Varner. She moved to Taft in 1918 with her parents and five sisters, and it was here where she lived her formative years. She graduated from Taft Union High School and Taft Junior College, and then attended U.C. Berkeley. She returned to Taft and married William Carl Jacks in Las Vegas. They were blessed with 56 years together until his passing in 1993. They both worked very hard to realize their dream of traveling the world and were able to fulfill this dream with trips to Europe, Canada and Mexico. Okie was very active in community affairs. Until her death, she continued to be a member of the Taft Emblem Club, the Taft Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star and the American Legion Auxiliary. She also served as the first woman president of the West Side Childrens Camp Association. Through her tenure as president, Mrs. Jacks visited all district elementary schools, presenting film and comme! ntary on Camp Condor activities to promote the camps benefits. She also appeared before civic clubs to request assistance in obtaining camperships for children in need. Successful in this endeavor, she was able to send numerous children to camp that otherwise would not have had the means to afford it. To those of us who knew and loved her, Okie was a woman with an enormously strong will, a fair disposition and a compassioned heart. She was friendly and outgoing and willing to help those around her without hesitation. Every morning she would read the words kept framed on her bedroom wall which read, I shall pass this way but once. Any good that I may do, any kindness that I may show, let me not defer it not deter it, for I shall not pass this way again. Okie took heed in these words to remind her that there was always a way to help others. She was held in the highest esteem by her family and friends because she lived her life true to this sentiment. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Susan and George Sangster of Stockton; her granddaughter, Shelly Scott of San Diego; her granddaughter, Shannon Scott of Stockton; and her great-granddaughter, Heather Sanderson, also of Stockton. Okie is also survived by two of her five sisters, Oma Ryall of Taft and Corinne Evans of Bakersfield; along with several nieces and one nephew. She is preceded in death by her sisters, Lucille Brown, Bernice Tanner and Maxine Waldner, who passed away in 2001, 2002 and 2003 respectively. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 10, 2004, at 11:00 a.m., in the Erickson & Brown Funeral Home Chapel. Visitation will be held on Friday, April 9, 2004, from 3:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Erickson & Brown Funeral Home. Okie will be cremated and placed next to her husband, Carl, in the West Side District Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the charity of your choice. Erickson & Brown Funeral Home