Leslie Arlillian Jackson, 58, passed away at her home in Rock Island, IL on Sunday, July 26, 2026. She was born in Iowa City, IA on February 7, 1968 and lived in Davenport, IA. She was a cherished daughter of Vanzie and Janice Verell (Edwards) Jackson.

Leslie joined Third Missionary Baptist Church of Davenport at a young age but grew up attending People’s Missionary Baptist Church of Rock Island. Through her extended illness, she loved and trusted in God for her healing and salvation.

Leslie shared over 40 wonderful years with the love of her life, Osler McKinley Houston Jr., creating a legacy of love and family. She was a devoted mother to her children and a doting grandmother who adored her grandchildren.

Leslie had a passion for cooking that brought the family together, always crafting home-cooked meals that warmed hearts and filled bellies. Her love for cooking was matched only by her enthusiasm for her career as a hairdresser, where she touched the lives of many with her talent and compassion. A true confidant, Leslie was always there to listen to anyone in need, offering solace and understanding with an open heart.

Leslie is survived by her mother, Janice Verell Jackson; her significant other, Osler McKinley Houston Jr.; her children, Landon Edwards Lee Shelton, Mercedes Verell Jackson, Dianthia Milatonda Kelley, and Whitney Gholston; her beloved grandchildren, Landon Edwards Lee Shelton Jr., MacKenzie Williams, Kaiden Reyes, Xylo Beauregard, Che’Brynique Gholston, and Jeremiah Washington; her sisters, Joanna Lynn Taylor (Ryan) and Monica Renae Maid (James); her first cousin & closest friend Alnetha Poole-Thornton, and her dog, Tru , and a host of family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her father, Vanzie Jackson, her sister Angela Verell Jackson, her brother, Vanzie Jackson II, maternal grandparents Willie and Effie Edwards of Louisville, MS; paternal grandmother Arlillian Mason, paternal great-grandparents Sampson and Ivery Jackson all of Preston, MS.

To honor Leslie’s memory, funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at 12:00 pm at the Knox Chapel of Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, located at 2106 7th Ave, Rock Island, IL, 61201. Family and friends are invited to gather and share their memories and love for Leslie from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, prior to the service. Following the ceremony, she will be laid to rest at Pine Hill Cemetery in Davenport, IA. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in care of the family.