Jill Ackerson Loukides, Ph.D.'s Obituary
Jill Loukides, 66, wife, mother and sister, passed away November 29, 2018 at Anne Arundel Medical Center. She is survived by her husband Tim, daughter Kathleen, brother Jack Ackerson and sister Judy Makris.
A memorial service will be held at Riva Trace Baptist Church, 475 W Central Avenue in Davidsonville, MD at 3pm on Saturday, December 8. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Jill’s name to Camp Wabanna in Edgewater, MD or to the Anne Arundel Community College Foundation.
Jill was born in in Rome, NY, in 1952 and lived in several states before her family settled in Beavercreek, Ohio where she graduated high school in 1970. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Wright State University in 1974, her Master of Science in Microbiology from North Texas State University in 1976, and her PhD in Biochemistry from UCLA in 1982. She continued in research at several institutions, including the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Yale University.
She met her husband Tim at a church in Hamden Connecticut and they were married in 1985. Her daughter Kathleen was born in 1988, and in 1990 the family moved to the Annapolis area. Shortly after, Jill left research to spend more time raising Kathleen while still working in a variety of capacities: in her church’s office, as a substitute teacher in the public school system, as adjunct faculty at Anne Arundel Community College, and then as a consultant for Ellora Software leveraging her background in biology. She returned to the college where she taught from 2002 until she passed away, becoming a tenured professor and working closely with many on numerous committees.
Jill was “Momma Bear” to her daughter, and similarly devoted to her husband, sister, brother, nieces and nephews. In addition to her love for family, she loved music, singing in the choir and with the worship team in the early years of Riva Trace Baptist Church. She loved her pet dogs, giving them the best care. She loved to give – to churches, missionaries, Camp Wabanna, Anne Arundel Community College, environmental and other charitable interests, and above all, to people.
Here is a tribute from one of her dear friends:
In life, we make many acquaintances, but only a few friends of the heart—and that’s what Jill was to me. Jill was the sister God never gave me--we were “friends by heart and sisters by soul.” I don’t think that any lasting friendship is an accident. God brings into our lives the people we need, when we need them, and I am so grateful for the gift of Jill. I remember the day I met Jill. It was like my soul “saw” hers, because I just knew she was going to be an important part of my life. And what a friend! She always brought out the best in you, whether you were singing praise music together, working together, or just enjoying each other’s company.
It’s true that it takes a long time to grow an old friend—and I enjoyed every minute of it. Jill improved so many of our lives by granting us her friendship and sharing herself with us. I have no doubt that her unfailing spirit of generosity, hospitality, and love will live on beyond her in our hearts.
Jill placed her faith and trust in her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and we know she will live forever in heaven with Him.
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