By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief, Cleveland Urban News. Com and

The Cleveland Urban News.Com Blog, Ohio's Most Read Online Black Newspaper and Newspaper Blog Email:editor@clevelandurbannews.com, Tel: (216) 659-0473). Kathy Wray Coleman is  a community activist and 20 year investigative journalist who trained for 17 years at the Call and Post Newspaper.

BEDFORD HEIGHTS, Ohio- Bedford Heights Councilman Thaddeus Jackson (pictured), also a former chairperson of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, died Sunday of an apparent heart attack. He was 74.

Bedford Heights is a Cleveland suburb and is roughly 78 percent Black.

Jackson, who was Black,  is well known in greater Cleveland political circles and was a close friend of retired 11th congressional district Congressman Louis Stokes. He ran unsuccessfully this year in the Democratic primary for senator of Ohio's 25th senatorial district and lost to former state representative Kenny Yuko. Also in that primary race was former state representative Ed Jerse. The seat is currently held by state Sen. Nina Turner, the Democratic candidate who faces Republican Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted in November.

A former social worker and substitute teacher for the Cleveland Municipal School District, Jackson was an Army Veteran and former vice-chair of the 11th Congressional District Caucus under Stokes. He is survived by his wife Hazel, daughter Dr. Martina Richardson, and son Thaddeus Jackson Jr.

General public viewing is Friday, Oct. 3  from 2 to 8 pm with the family receiving friends later that evening from 6 to 8 pm at Calhoun Funeral Home, 2300 Rockside Road in Bedford Heights.

Funeral services are Saturday, Oct 4 at 10:30 am  at the Original Harvest Missionary Baptist Church in Cleveland, 7101 Kinsman Road.(www.clevelandurbannews.com) / (www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com)