Dorothy Marie Jackson, 82 | Daily Inter Lake
Dorothy Marie Jackson was born in Kalispell on Dec. 26, 1939, and peacefully passed on Sept. 5, 2022, at Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Her parents were Gerald and Helen Lanthorn. She was the oldest of four children and her other siblings were Cathie, Vivian and Eugene (Gene). She graduated valedictorian from Hamilton High School (Montana) in 1957 at 16, where she was a talented member of the Thespians drama club and started her life. She was highly intelligent and engaging to everyone, along with being notoriously stubborn and resourceful. When she gave advice, it was invariably accurate and correct. She married Robert Dale Jackson, who predeceased her in 2015. She was the mother of four sons, Mike, Mark, Matt and Miles. She saw each get married and have children and she was very involved as a grandmother and doted on all, never forgetting a birthday or major event in anyone’s life.
She lived with the family in Redmond, Baker, The Dalles and Pendleton, Oregon, before moving to and settling in Vancouver, Washington, where her sons finished school and went on to higher education. In the early 2000s she and her husband relocated to Black Diamond, Washington, to be closer to the grandchildren and they spent the rest of their lives there. She loved to garden and had a beautiful rose garden, can fruits and vegetables, bake and cook brilliantly, decorate for the holidays (particularly Christmas), and take care of her home and family. She was a gifted artist, firing and hand painting hundreds of ceramics. She always had a dog (or two or three) and these pets enjoyed dog heaven with her. She rewarded them with treats and love. There was always a project she was doing or planning.
She never forgot a friend or family member, remembered birthdays and other significant dates and events. She loved to discuss current events, politics and was highly intelligent. She never spoke ill or meanly of others and tried to see the good in everyone. She was unfailingly articulate and pushed her sons to be educated, work hard, succeed and be good people. Every year, at Christmas she sent out a “newsletter” of the year’s events and information she wanted to share. She had a few special people help her and Bob in Black Diamond who were always considered part of the family by all. She was a great judge of character and unfailingly helpful to those she saw as needing it and who were underdogs.
She will be missed terribly for her sharp intellect, her kind heart, her ability to listen and give a thoughtful and smart response, her decency and kindness even to those who were undeserving of it, her acceptance of others regardless of who or what they were and many other qualities.
She is survived by all her sons and their children including Rob, Steven, Mark Jr., Joshua, Emily and Matt, along with her sister Cathie in Grand Junction, Colorado, and nephews Bryan Martin, Garret McGonigal, Kerry McGonigal and Jeremy Lanthorn, along with nieces Amy Martin Shaffer and Sybil Lanthorn Voelker.