The Town of Marion is honoring two legendary women as co-Grand Marshals of the upcoming 2023 Marion Kaleidoscope Christmas Parade on Saturday, Dec. 1, along Main Street.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for our community to recognize two of our citizens, representing nearly two hundred years of life in America’s Coolest Hometown,” said Mayor David Helms. “Mrs. Jackson, at age 95, and Mrs. Blevins, at age 100, have seen so much in their lifetimes, and their stories and their lives are an inspiration to us all. The ladies will lead Marion’s parade, representing their amazing lives, contributions, and legacies of all the women of our fair town.”
Ann Catherine Hall Foster Jackson
At 8 years old, Ann Jackson started work. She traveled to Richmond to babysit the daughter of the Pettit family. That was the beginning of Mrs. Jackson’s long legacy of service of taking care of others.
Ann Catherine Hall Foster Jackson was born April 9, 1929 in Marion. She married her first husband, Charles Elwood (“Bear”) Foster in 1960 and had one son, Steve. Her son was the first child enrolled in the Mountain CAP Community Action Program Head Start Program, where Ann worked for 23 years before retiring.
Ann Jackson enjoys writing poetry and published her first book, “As He Spoke, I Wrote”, in her 90s. She is in the process, at age 94, or writing her second book.
A member of Mount Zion Family Worship Center, Mrs. Jackson is the oldest member of the church. “I love God and my church, and most of all, being saved,” said Mrs. Jackson. She still enjoys cooking, cleaning, and keeping a garden. She keeps active by visiting Valley Nursing Home to see her sister Peggy Hall Hayes Russell, who is 93. Mrs. Jackson makes sure she calls every nephew, niece, and class mate on their birthdays. “I appreciate the Town of Marion naming me as the Parade Grand Marshal,” added Jackson, “but most of all, I want to remind everybody that Jesus is the Reason for the Season.”
Fern Cole Blevins
Oscilene Fern Cole will be celebrating her 100th birthday as co-grand marshal of the 2023 Marion Christmas Parade. She was born December 1, 1923, in the Mill Creek Section of Washington County, attended Barrack High School in the Love’s Mill section of Washington County where she graduated in 1941 along with three girls and three boys. After high school, Fern attended Radford University. Upon returning home for the holidays, the principal of Barrack High asked if she could start teaching.
Fern chose a different career path when she married Glenn Robert Wilson Blevins, from Ashe County, North Carolina, in 1953. She became a full time stay at home mom to 5 children. They made Adwolfe their hometown in 1960 when the youngest were six months old. All her children graduated from Marion High School and attended the local community colleges. Her four daughters, Pat, Sue, Mary and Martha, married local hometown boys and live within two miles of Fern’s residence. Her son, Robert, is married and lives in Bluff City, Tennessee. After Glenn’s passing in 1986, Fern remained on the family farm, raising beef cattle until 2021. Fern is also the owner of Glenn’s family farm in Ashe County.
She has served her community as a substitute teacher at the original Oak Point Elementary School, PTO, and Home Demonstration Club. The Adwolfe Ruritan Club always requested that she make her homemade yeast rolls. She is a lifelong member of the Lebanon United Methodist Church, Chilhowie, having served many leadership roles.
The 2023 Marion Christmas Parade is set for Friday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. along Main’s Main Street. The event is part of a weekend celebration that kicks off Thursday, Nov. 30 at 5 p.m. with a downtown open house, the Community Christmas Tree Lighting at Town Hall at 6 p.m., and special music and events all weekend long.
For more information, visit MarionVA.org/Calendar, or call Ken Heath at (276) 378-5026 email [email protected].
