Jackson R. "Jack" Todd

Jackson Ray "Jack" Todd, 72 of Cambridge, passed away on Monday, March 30, 2009 at Dorchester General Hospital. He was born in Cambridge on June 16, 1936 and was a son of the late Milford and Edna Mills Dukes, but was raised by his grandparents in Cornersville, the late James R. and Eva Mills.

In 1954, he went to Frederica, Delaware to work in plumbing and heating with his uncle, the late J. Howard Beebe. He later came back to Cambridge to take training at the Eastern Shore Hospital to become a LPN. He then worked at Cambridge Wire Cloth for a while before moving to Washington, DC to work at the Doctors Hospital, and then later the Eastern Star Masonic Home. Later, he became head houseman at the Gramercy Inn Hotel. Other jobs through the years included Phillips Packing Company, Maryland Wire Belt, Connelly Containers and the Port of Cambridge, from where he retired. In addition, he had his own painting business for 40 years. His most recent job was at the Eastern Shore Hospital Center in the Dietary Department, where he retired in 2000.

As a young man, he played softball for Town Point in the Tri-County Softball League and later umpired for the Men's Industrial Softball League. Other hobbies included painting, working on puzzles, woodworking, coin collecting and was a member of the Cambridge Coin Club. He also enjoyed watching sports on television, particularly a ballgame or pool. But most of all, he enjoyed collecting another man's junk and turning them into his treasures.

Survivors include his wife Patricia Edger Mitchell, who he married on December 10, 1965; one daughter Seretha (Reese) Dawson and her husband Wade; stepdaughter Cindy Coleman and her husband Willis; stepson Dennis Leigh Mitchell and his wife Michelle (Cindy) Mitchell; grandson Brandon (Reece) Todd and his wife Heather; step grandchildren Jacob Coleman, Chris Mitchell and David Mitchell; step great grandsons Brycen Coleman, Blaine Coleman and twins Austin and Andrew Mitchell. He is also survived by his brother William A. Todd and his wife Bernese; two nieces Donna T. Sanson and April Edger; two nephews David Todd and Shawn Edger and cousins Mildred Warren, Frank Beebe, Marian Vincent, John Beebe, Dennis Beebe and Kenneth Mills, all of Delaware. Beside his parents, Mr. Todd was preceded in death by his brother James H. Dukes.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, April 3 at 1:00 p.m. at the Thomas Funeral Home in Cambridge. The family will receive friends during the hour preceding the service. Interment will follow at Dorchester Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Milton Higgins, Ward Higgins, Kenny Mills, Gordon Thomas, Butch Schuyler and Kenny Darling.