Vida Lee Cottman Miles-Jackson

VIDA LEE’S LIFE AND LEGACY God called his servant, Vida Lee Cottman Miles Jackson, home on Sunday morning, August 1, 2021 at Tidal Health in Salisbury, Maryland at the age of eighty-six (86). She was born to the late Willis Cottman, Sr. and Annie Mae Cannon Cottman on September 7, 1934. She was also affectionately known as Vida Lee, Vida Blue, Blue, Lee, Aunt Lee, Mom, Momma, Mommy, Mom-Mom, Grandma, and Mother Jackson. Vida Lee was educated in the Somerset County public school system. She also attended Wor-Wic Community College in Salisbury, Maryland where she learned how to operate computers. Her employment included the Dulaney Company in Fruitland, Maryland, Birdseye in Pocomoke City, Maryland and the Campbell Soup Company, Inc. in Salisbury, Maryland where she served for twenty-nine (29) years and was also a trained leader in the ‘Quality Circle’ program. After retiring from Campbell Soup, she returned to the work force at the Wicomico County Board of Education’s Food Service Department in Salisbury, Maryland, Bonanza in Delmar, Maryland, Salsarita’s Cantina and Red Lobster in Salisbury, Maryland. Vida Lee truly believed in and loved the Lord. Her Christian training began early in her life at St. Mary’s Missionary Baptist Church, West Post Office in Princess Anne, Maryland where she was a member, sang on the choir, and played the piano on various occasions. She loved poetry, singing, and playing her piano. She was baptized under the leadership of the late Reverend Earvine Hargis and continued in Ministry at St. Mary’s under the leadership of Reverends Virgil Cottman, John Ringgold, Lewis Brim, Richard Brown, Bishop Dean Jones-Evans, and the late Reverend David Allen W. Miles. Vida Lee was united in matrimony to the late Ogie F. Miles who preceded her in death in 1992. Together they reared and made a home for their five children. After they divorced in 1972, she managed to raise their five children as a single parent. She met her soul mate and the love of her life, Richard Jackson, also in 1972 and they were joined together in Holy Matrimony in 1997. Vida Lee and Richard remained active members of Mills Memorial Baptist Temple in Salisbury, Maryland under the leadership of Reverend Curtis A. Roberts, Sr. There she inherited the title, “Mother Jackson.” Precious memories of Vida Lee’s life will be cherished by: her loving and devoted husband, Richard A. Jackson; four sons, Ogia L. Miles (Priscilla), Wendell Miles (Lana), Eugene Miles (Sue) and Herbert Miles, Sr. (Joy) and one daughter, Vera (aka Vicky) Miles; sixteen (16) grandchildren, Kevin Miles, Sr., Kim Miles Wallop (Edward), Kiana Miles, Melodie Miles, Eugenia Miles Barclay (William), Dana Miles Harrison (Hugo), Dawn Miles, Aaron Greene, Hermione Strand, Tyesha Mitchell (Danny), Herbert Miles, Jr., Donte Miles, Byron Johnson, LaToya Richardson, Shaday Schoofield, and Chavez Schoofield; thirty-three (33) great grandchildren; one great great grandchild; one god-daughter, Amanda Elsey White; ten (10) god-grandchildren; one brother, Omar Cottman (Joyce); five sisters, Josephine Harmon, Elsie Collins, Marguerite Grant, Lucille Cook, and Betty Cottman; her sister-in-law, Bernice Cottman and brother-in-law, Earl Jackson (Marian) and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. In addition to her parents and first husband, Vida Lee was also preceded in death by: one sister, Lennie Cottman; six brothers, Willis “Spud” Cottman, Preston “That Did It” Cottman, Randolph “Smitt” Cottman, Alexander “Buck” Cottman, Robert Lee Cottman, and Samuel “Sam” Cottman, Sr.; father-in-law, Charles Jackson and mother-in-law Ella Jackson as well as her brother-in-law, Leigh Jackson and sister-in-law, Susie Jackson. LOVINGLY SUBMITTED – THE FAMILY

Vida Lee Cottman Miles-Jackson

September 7, 1934 - August 1, 2021