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On January 9, 1948, in Point Blank, Texas, William and Vanilla Hill, was blessed with a beautiful baby girl named her Mildred Jean. Mildred was the 5th born of 12 siblings, with beautiful eyes that shined brightly her family affectionately called her “Bright.”
Bright attended Oakhurst High School where she played basketball, and then moved to Houston and completed her junior and senior year of high at Phyllis Wheatley High and graduated in 1966. She continued her education at Houston Community College.
She was blessed in December 1967 with a daughter Kimberly Duff, and then again in January 1971 with Tracia.
Mildred worked hard and earned a living supporting her girls by working at the Ice House in Fifth Ward, JC Penny in Northwest Mall, and then Houston Pennzoil Place as a Database Administrator where she retired in May 1992, when she was diagnosed with Leukemia. Against the odds and a strong faith in God for healing, she was in remission for 25 years.
Mildred met and married Albert Jackson in 1985, where she served alongside him in ministry until his passing in March 2015. Mildred was a praying prayer warrior who was an integral part of the prayer band, president of the mission board, chaplain and advisor as well as serving as a deaconess at their home church, Greater Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. Mildred always ended her prayers saying, “When I have done all that I can do and I have stuck my in the sandy banks of time. I just want to say thank you Lord…, much obliged Lord.”
Mildred’s home was always filled with folks who loved her and her cooking, especially doing the holidays. Everybody loved her pound cakes, sweet potato pies, banana pudding, peach cobbler, soul food, and hospitality. A little known fact was that no matter where Mildred was, “Bessie” was always with her. “Bessie” was under the seat or in her hands as she would come in and go out about her business.
Mildred was known as granny to many as she became known for providing private care for children, the elderly, opening her home to those in need and selling sodas, chips, candy and more to the neighborhood of Heather Glen.
Mildred will meet in heaven, her husband: Albert, her daughter: Tracia, her parents: William and Vanilla, her brothers: William Jr., Henry B, her sisters: Eliza Hill Gatewood and Claira Hill Wyatt, her brother-in-laws: George Linton and Joe Wyatt, her nephew: William III.
She leaves to cherish her memories, her daughter: Kimberly Duff Plaza, her bonus daughters: Thressa Duff Afeku (Patrick), Chaquania Barnes (Kenneth), her siblings: Lola Hill Linton, Betty Hill Hooey, Linda Brooks (Sherman), Her-sister in-law: Irma Lee Hill, her son-in-law: Craig Bell, Grandchildren: Lee Derrick Plaza (Charkeiro), Holmes Plaza (Datasia), Holeicia Plaza Johnson (DeJuan), Craig Anthony Bell Jr., Great-grandchildren: Keoni Martinez, LeeDerick Sonier-Plaza, Leeadrian Faulk Plaza, Harley Plaza, Savannah Johnson, Devrin Hall, Preston Afeku, Kason Barnes, Godchildren: Beverly Shelton-Bouudreaux, Trumika Hall, Georgia Lathan, Kevin Brown, Dammion King, Nieces and nephews: Debra Hill, Ramona Hill, Carol Greggs, Ina Beall (Avery), Garrick Linton (Nakia), Artrell Wyatt (Lena), Terrial Hill (Novella), Erica Hill-Moye (Thomas), Kizzie Harden Rogers (Corey), Garnet Brooks (Zaimis) Sherree Brooks, Sherray Brooks Hawthorne (James), and Jarmar Brooks (Demonya), Carolyn Griggs, and a host of cousins, extended family, and good friends.
