Donna Rae Curry Jackson Gramma Donna died on July 24, 2008 at the age of 72 after a brief bout with cancer. 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.

Donna was born the middle child to Charles and Pauline Keever on June 27, 1936 in Martin, South Dakota. 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 passed away suddenly in 1976, leaving Donna to raise their family largely on her own.

In 1988, Donna moved to Tonopah, Nevada where she taught the last 10 years of her career. She was blessed with good friends there whom she thought of as family.

If you could describe Donna in a word, the word would be "teacher". Donna was a teacher in 3 states for over 42 years. She first taught the children. Then she taught the children of her students. When 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, Washington. There she met and fell in love with the man across the street, Charlie Jackson. Donna and Charlie were married August 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 are blessed with sixteen 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. Donna was and avid reader, she loved crossword puzzles and she and Charlie enjoyed spending time working on their wonderful garden.

Donna is survived by her sister, Ramona Hight, her brother Jay Keever, Sister Myrtle Keller and numerous nieces, nephews and extended family members. She is preceded in death by her first husband Ed and her parents, Charles and Pauline Keever.

There will be a public viewing at Einan's Funeral home on Monday July 28, 2008 from 2:00 until 6:30 at which time a rosary will be said. We will gather to celebrate her life at Christ the King Church in Richland, Washington on Tuesday, July 29th at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the caringbridge.com, the website which allowed us to keep all friends and family up to date during Donna's brief illness.