Alberta Vidato Jackson was born on September 23, 1932, to Arthur James Vidato, Sr. and Alberta Mitchell Vidato. They were delighted to have a second girl as their youngest child. Alberta had one other sister and six brothers. As the baby of the family she was treated with extra loving care from her seven older siblings and parents. Instead of being spoiled, she internalized this loving relationship and later on shared this gift of love with family, friends and students from all walks of life.

Alberta committed her life to Jesus Christ at an early age. She confirmed her faith and devotion as a Christian by being baptized at Ephesus Seventh-Day Adventist Church in New Orleans, Louisiana. All the older working Vidato boys embraced the family's belief in God first, family second, and then education. They made a commitment to finance Alberta's - and her sister, Dorothy's - complete Christian education through high school at Ephesus day school. That both sisters graduated from high school was no easy feat - their high school education was completed during the depression years. The boys delayed and sacrificed their education to make sure the girls were educated first. Alberta grasped the concept and meaning of these values and embraced them, passing them on not only to her own children, but to all her siblings' children and those with whom she came into contact throughout her life.

Following high school, Alberta was united in marriage to George Washington Webster ll. To this union was born her first child, George Washington Webster, lll. Soon after their wedding, George was drafted into service during the Korean War. He died in battle shortly thereafter, leaving Alberta a young widow at 18 years of age.

Alberta gained strength and courage during this time of grief from her faith in Christ and her determination to make a better life for her young son and herself. At the prompting of her brother and sister-in-law, Arthur and Helen Vidato, she headed for a new life in California. They bought a house for her to stay in across the street from them in Compton so she could complete college and have baby-sitting support. They also moved their mother, Alberta Vidato, from New Orleans to Compton soon thereafter. Again, God, family support and education was the consistent theme in the Vidato family. The results were again magnanimous. Soon after establishing a firm foundation in California, Alberta joined in matrimony to Joe Lee Jackson. This union resulted in her second son, Joseph Edward Jackson.

Alberta went on to earn her Associate of Arts degree from Compton Junior College, her