Sylvia “Bay” Pressley Jackson was born on September 6, 1966, and was the daughter of the late Ruby Lee Gray. She departed this life on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in Statesville, N.C.

“Bay,” as she was affectionately called, grew up in Jamaica, Queens, and went to Beach Chanel High School in Far Rockaway, graduating in 1985. Sylvia met Tom and later on married him, and to this union, two children were born, Thomas Keith II and Dominique. They were her pride and joys.

She loved and supported her family in many ways and helped her mother run her store in South Jamaica, Queens. She worked several years at Nassau University Medical Center in Physical Therapy, also working at Brunswick Hospital for several years. Sylvia would throw some of the biggest Boat rides and do all if the cooking for her events. She loved to cook and everyone loved her food. Later, she opened her own restaurant, and everyone loved to come and enjoy her specialty dishes.

She later moved to Statesville, N.C., where her mother lived and became her caretaker until she passed away, Following her mother’s death, she worked several jobs, where she met a lot of beautiful people. Sylvia made sure each and every day she would send out a Loving or Funny message to all of her Facebook Family and Friends every morning, and everyone loved to comment and enjoy those memories with her. There was nothing in the world Sylvia loved more then her five grandchildren. She also loved to travel to New York to visit them and spend time with them; this was the highlight of her year.

So many people showed so much love for Sylvia because she was an outgoing, loving and fun person to be around. She would light up a room with her smile. In addition to her mother, she was preceded in death by a sister, Susan Gray.

She leaves to cherish the memory of her life, her son, Thomas Keith (Steven) Jackson II, and her daughter, Dominique Nicole (Kenneth) Cooks, both of New York; five grandchildren, Damaja Shuford, Kynia Cooks, Jah’kory Christmas, Kamia Cooks, and King Cooks; siblings Elwanda Young (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Elaine Woodbery (Palm Bay, Fla.), Marion Pressley, (Stone Mountain, Ga.), Linda Pressley (Wyandanch, N.Y.), Leroy Pressley (Queens, N.Y.), and Patricia Pressley (Statesville, N.C.); aunts, Overseer Barbara Imes (Statesville, N.C.), and R achael Gayles (Statesville, N.C.), and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. 

The family extends a special thanks to the members of Lily’s Chapel.

A Memorial service will be held on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at 12 noon at Rutledge and Bigham Funeral Home, 603 South Center Street, Statesville, NC.

A Celebration of Life Service will be conducted Sunday, June 2, 2024, at Carl T. Burnette Funeral Home, 456 South Franklin Street, Hempstead, NY 11550.

Visit the Book of Memories for Sylvia at www.rutledgeandbigham.com.

Rutledge and Bigham Funeral Home is serving the Jackson Family.