Ruthe Jackson

Occupation: Marketing for Products Sales Inc. and Jackson Vending Inc.

Academic: Graduated from Sunset High School, Dallas, Texas; Post graduate of Grand Prairie High School; Stenotype Court Reporter, La Salle University, Chicago, Illinois; Registered Professional Parliamentarian #888.

Public Service: First elected “at large” in 1985, re-elected in 1989 to represent District 5. Elected “at large” again in 1993, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2008. She serves on the city’s Public Safety and Health Committee and as Deputy Mayor Pro Tem after nine terms as Mayor Pro Tem. Mrs. Jackson was elected to the Dallas County School Board for 18 years, and served as vice president for 11 of those years. She served on the Dallas County Historical Commission from 1975 to 1982. In 1977, Mrs. Jackson was the first Texan to receive the Keep America Beautiful Lady Bird Johnson Award. In 2005, Mrs. Jackson was awarded the “Robert M. Artz Award for Citizen Volunteer and Leadership Contributions” by the National Recreation and Parks Association. In 2008, she was awarded the coveted United States President’s Volunteer Service Award, recognizing her many years of beautification and voluntary service to community. Mrs. Jackson was one of four women in Keep Texas Beautiful to receive the award from President Bush. Also in 2008, Mrs. Jackson received the Governor’s Texas Commission of Environmental Quality Texas Environmental Excellence Award for an Individual. In honoring her, Governor Perry and the Commission cited her four decades of service to the City of Grand Prairie, during which she has consistently championed environmental education and conservation.

Mrs. Jackson married Vernon Jackson in 1944. They have two daughters, several grandchildren and great grandchildren.