Donna Jackson

Donna Rae Curry Jackson, 72, died July 24, 2008, after a brief battle with cancer.

A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at the Grand View Cemetery.

Donna was born the middle child to Charles and Pauline Keever on June 27, 1936, in Martin, S.D.

She grew up in White River and graduated from high school in 1954.

Donna attended Black Hills Teacher College where she obtained her certification in teaching. She taught one school year before she married her childhood sweetheart, Edward Curry, on June 25, 1955. Although they tried many different things, teaching was their primary occupation.

Donna and Ed migrated to Idaho where they raised their six children, Dan, Kelly, Aimee, Becky (Ed Wilburn), Chris and David. Ed died suddenly in 1976, leaving Donna to raise the family largely on her own.

In 1988, Donna moved to Tonopah, Nev., where she taught the last ten years of her career. "She was blessed with good friends there whom she thought of as family," her family said, adding, "if you could describe Donna in a word, the word would be 'teacher'. Donna was a teacher in three states for over 42 years. She first taught the children. Then she taught the children of her students. Then she taught the grandchildren of her students she retired.

"She was always pleased to see her students succeed in large and small ways and counted this as a measure of her success. She was honored as teacher of the year in Nevada and was greatly loved and respected wherever she taught."

In 1998, Donna retired and moved to Richland, Wash. There she met and fell in love with the man across the street, Charlie Jackson. Donna and Charlie were married Aug. 27, 2000. Charlie has six children, Sheila Martinson, Joe Jackson and Paul Alota, Helen and Budd Holden, Tom and Cora Jackson, Alice Proudfoot and Paul and Florely Jackson, "who were all very dear to Donna." Donna and Charlie combined had 16 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Donna and Charlie spent their retirement years traveling the world and visiting with friends and family. They enjoyed spending their summers in Alaska with their grandchildren "and came back with many wild stories," her family said.

Donna was an avid reader. She loved crossword puzzles and she and Charlie enjoyed spending time working on their garden.

"We didn't expect to lose her so quickly, but we are grateful that so many of her children and grandchildren were able to be at her side as she passed from us. She will be greatly missed," her family said.

In addition to those already listed, she is survived by: her sister, Ramona Hight; her brother, Jay Keever; sister Myrtle Keller and numerous nieces, nephews and extended family members.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, Ed, and her parents, Charles and Pauline Keever.