Beverley Jackson, former society reporter for the News-Press, died Thursday morning. The vivacious reporter and author was known for traveling often and collecting antique Chinese clothing.
Former doyenne of Montecito and former News-Press society writer, Beverley Jackson, died Thursday morning.
The partygoer spent time with numerous celebrities, royalty, authors, artists and local personalities and documented the occasions for 25 years in the News-Press. After a trip to China with Jayne Meadows and Steve Allen, she began collecting antique Chinese clothing, donning vibrant, colorful robes.
She started one of the major collections of antique Chinese clothing in the United States and became the Santa Barbara Historical Museum’s curator of Asian art.
The Pasadena native read more than 600 books on China, and eventually wrote seven nonfiction books, self-publishing her first novel, “The Beautiful Lady was a Palace Eunuch.”
On her website, beverleyjackson.com, some of her most popular blog posts include “Sure I Cooked Dinner for Julie Child: Often and Unafraid,” “There Are A Lot Of Dragons Around My House” and “Sadly Diana Nyad Couldn’t But I Was With Florence Chadwick The Night She Did.”
The sensational writer fully experienced Santa Barbara’s social scene during the 1970s and 80s, and provided that perspective in vivid detail to her readers.
Full coverage on the gossip columnist’s life will be published in Sunday’s News-Press.
email: gmccormick@newspress.com
