Donneita Jackson

Donneita Jackson was born January 12th, 1937 to Jacob Wilford and Vera Lillian Barker Olsen and returned to the loving arms of her Heavenly Father and her beloved husband, July 29th, 2015. She married the love of her life, Sherron G. Jackson on September 13th, 1954. They later solemnized their marriage June 12th, 1964 in the Salt Lake City Temple. Together they had six children, Glendon W. (Casper, WY), Verna Gale (Homer) Scott, Hal D (Kim), Cal G (Shona), Rhonda Michelle "Shelly" (Dave) Dugger & Janet Elaine (Lee) Overholts, of Vernal. Mom was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in which she held many callings including Relief Society president twice, and second counselor. She was a telephone operator in the temple, young women's leader, ward chorister, ward music leader, primary teacher & a faithful visiting teacher until her health prevented her from going. She had a very strong testimony of the gospel. Mom was a homemaker until we were all in school, then she was a school lunch worker at Naples Elementary school for twelve years. She later worked at Prime Time for Kids in the nursery. She loved holding the babies and playing with the little ones. Mom worked hard all her life by taking care of her home and family. She gave birth to four kids in 22 months. Glendon was 22 months old and Verna was 11 months when she had the twins Hal & Cal. She loved to camp and would go as often as possible. Dad told her once that she couldn't set the camper up so she decided to prove him wrong. We started holding a "girls only" camping weekend. He also told her she & her girls wouldn't be able to cut their own Christmas trees but she proved him wrong again. He learned after that to not tell her she couldn't do something. After dad passed she was able to take a trip to Nauvoo with her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law. She was most excited when she visited a granddaughter in Fairbanks Alaska. Mom dedicated her life to taking care of others. She was diagnosed with Basil Cell skin cancer in the spring of 1999. She had several painful procedures to remove it but none were successful. She then put her own health on hold to take care of her mother until her death in 2002. Shortly after our dad was diagnosed with lung cancer and he passed in 2004. In August 2005 her brother Stewart moved in with her until his death in 2006. Later that year she was able to have the Mo's procedure which successfully removed the cancer from her nose. She was soon plagued with heart problems and suffered two major and many small strokes of which she became bed-ridden from complications. Mom is survived by her six children, 16 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren (with one more due in January), 3 sisters: JoAnne (Blaine) Horrocks of Neola, Marqueita (Kerry) Bowlthorpe and Beverly (Clark) Hall of Vernal, sisters-in-law Marnell Rowley of Salt Lake City, Glena (Buck) Hall of Vernal, brothers-in-law Kent (Sara) Jackson, Lane (Joyce) Jackson, Harley Jackson, Randy (Becky) Jackson of Vernal, Danny (Louise) Jackson of South Jordan and many nieces and nephews. She is proceeded in death by her husband, parents, 2 brothers Dallas and Stewart Olsen, a granddaughter Amanda Pitchford, a great-grandson Devin Burt, and 2 sons-in-law Homer Scott and Lee Overholts. Funeral services will be Monday August 3, 2015 at the Vernal Uintah Stake Center (4080 South 2500 East). Viewings for family and friends will be at the Blackburn Vernal Mortuary, Sunday evening from 6:00-8:00 and at the Chapel one hour prior to the services. Burial will be in the Rockpoint Cemetery. Compassionate services were provided by Davis 2nd www.blackburnvernalmortuary.com