Jackson Mortuary marks its 100th anniversary this month and is the oldest continuous Black family-owned business in Wichita. The funeral home was once led for decades by identical twin brothers, Anderson Eugene “Gene” Jackson and Abner Val Jean Jackson, Sr., known as pillars in the community. For this edition of In The Mix, Carla Eckels sat down with the twins’ children. Michael Jackson, who now runs the business, and his first cousin, Debra (Jackson) Dudley, talk about the family legacy.
The Twins
Jackson Mortuary’s twin brothers, Val and Gene, were born in Wichita on April 22, 1933. Val was born first, but only by 20 minutes.
Michael Jackson, the son of Val, now leads the mortuary as president, owner and fourth-generation funeral director. First cousin Debra Dudley, daughter of twin brother Gene, said their pregnant grandmother, Janett Jackson, lovingly known as Nanny, didn’t take any medication to offset any pain.
“No sedative, nothing,” Dudley said. “They told me, some of the older folks, that we could hear your grandma two blocks away.”…