Wanda Jo Jefferson was born August 14, 1953 to the parentage of Dorothy Curry and Joe Lewis in Dallas, TX.

She attended Kennedy Curry and Wilmer Hutchins High School where she graduated in 1971. She would later go on to obtain her Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education from Dallas County Community Colleges in 2015.

Wanda met Charles Jefferson in May of 1973 and they would later marry 1980. They were blessed with seven children.

Wanda was a longtime member of Southern Crest Missionary Baptist Church. Under the pastorage of Reverend W.E. Harvey she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. Wanda had a love for God and was active in the choir and children's ministries. After leaving Southern Crest, she would continue her faithful work with the Church of the Living God where she served for many years.

Wanda had a gift for nurturing and educating children. She spent more than half of her adulthood life working in the field of early childhood education. 33 of those years she  taught at Head Start of Greater Dallas. She had a natural talent for engaging children, parents and families. She will be remembered for her creativeness, her insight and her ability to make magic from just the simplest things. She has taken the hand, open the mind and touched the hearts of countless students.

Wanda is preceded in death by her mother, Dorothy Lewis and father Joe Lewis.

She leaves to cherish her memories her children Sharonda (Alan), Charles, Chutoniayia (Cory), Kornelious, Kordelious (Mike), Corinthian, Jammie; her grandchildren; Zaccheus, Jymajyine, LaVasher, Christian, Dorion, TyYanna, Christopher, LaVeughn, DonRon, Korjelious, Korlexion, Cory, Jammey, Jabarie, Aleja, Kornelious, Krisana, Jada, Cornelious, Corinthian Jr., and Ava; her siblings; Margaret, Patricia, Dewayne and Yolanda; and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and loving friends.

Afterglow

I'd like the memory of me

to be a happy one,

I'd like to leave an afterglow

of smiles when life is done.

I'd like to leave an echo

whispering softly down the ways,

of happy times and laughing times

and bright and sunny days.

I'd like the tears of those who grieve,

to dry before the sun of happy memories

that I leave behind when day is done.