Jackson, Helena Bertha

• Sister Bertha Jackson, SOS

Born 12 October 1915 in Peterborough, Ontario, daughter of Captain Charles Jackson and Anne Chloe Sharkey; entered 2 August 1937; first vows 2 February 1940; final vows 15 August 1945; died 4 December 2000.

Although born in the eastern Ontario city of Peterborough, Bertha spent most of her childhood in Dartmouth, NS, where her parents, a British Army officer and a nurse, moved the family of seven children. She studied at Our Lady Immaculate Convent, Dartmouth high school and St. Patrick’s girls high school in Halifax. After Bertha spoke about her vocation to Fr. Lucian Howard, C.Ss.R, whom she met at a retreat in Halifax, he wrote to the Sisters of Service about her. Both Bertha and her sister Mary were interested in the community, which Mary entered in August 1936. After Bertha and her mother visited Mary at the Toronto novitiate in June 1937, Bertha decided to join the community, entering on August 2, 1937 at the age of 21. Professing first vows in February 1940, she made final vows on August 15, 1945 in Edson.

Although born in the eastern Ontario city of Peterborough, Bertha spent most of her childhood in Dartmouth, NS, where her parents, a British Army officer and a nurse, moved the family of seven children. She studied at Our Lady Immaculate Convent, Dartmouth high school and St. Patrick’s girls high school in Halifax. After Bertha spoke about her vocation to Fr. Lucian Howard, C.Ss.R, whom she met at a retreat in Halifax, he wrote to the Sisters of Service about her. Both Bertha and her sister Mary were interested in the community, which Mary entered in August 1936. After Bertha and her mother visited Mary at the Toronto novitiate in June 1937, Bertha decided to join the community, entering on August 2, 1937 at the age of 21. Professing first vows in February 1940, she made final vows on August 15, 1945 in Edson.

After the her father’s death in 1960, she remained in Halifax, serving at the women’s residence (1961-1966) and a volunteer social worker (1962-1969) at the city's St. Vincent de Paul Society as well as taking charge of the Vincentian shop, the Halifax archdiocese’s central hub for distributing used clothes and furnishing. During this time, she earned in May 1968 a diploma in public health nursing from Dalhousie University, and worked for the Victorian Order of Nurses (1968-1971) in Halifax.

Following a year-long study of the French language, she spent four months at L’Arche in France. Back in Halifax, she was assigned to the women's residence (1972-1975), now accommodation for women engaged in short-term studies and city employment. After a successful cancer operation in 1975, Sister Jackson needed a slower pace for a full recovery, and joined her sister Mary for the first time on the same mission. The Jacksons shared an apartment in Fort McMurray, AB, where Sister Mary was the supervisor of religious education and art in the Fort McMurray separate schools. Through Sister Mary Phillips, co-ordinator of the Early Childhood Services for the Fort McMurray Roman Catholic Separate School District, Sister Bertha was placed as a teacher aide in a pre-school class. In the second year, she used her experience as a public health nurse to teach a 10-lecture dietetics course at Keyano Community College to students enrolled in a home care certificate course.

Returning to the Halifax residence (1978-1979), Sister Jackson moved to an apartment in Dartmouth to begin as a pastoral associate in Pope John XXIII parish (1979-1986) of Cole Harbour. Moving as a pastoral assistant at St. Peter’s (1986-1994), the Dartmouth home parish of the Jackson family, she was recognized for her organization and co-ordination of the parish’s outreach program for the sick and housebound. On the parish's 165th anniversary in 1994, Sister Jackson was awarded the Archdiocesan Medal of Merit by Archbishop James Hayes “for her extraordinary dedication and spirit of sacrifice of the diocesan church.” Soon afterwards, she resigned at the age of 79 as her health declined.

In retirement at the community's house in Halifax (1994-1998), she later moved to Scarborough Court, Toronto (1998-2000) and was joined by her sister Mary, who died in 1999. Sister Bertha died suddenly at the age of 85 on December 4, 2000 at Scarborough Court. The wake service and Mass of Resurrection with celebrant Fr. Charles Sitter S.J. were held in the community's chapel. Her body was buried in the same plot as her sister Mary in the community’s section at Mount Hope cemetery, Toronto.

Created by F Rousselle Dec. 19, 2025.

Biographical sketch adapted for brevity from complete biography written by SOS congregational archivist MC Havey.