Joann Van Wechel Jackson

Joann Van Wechel Jackson passed away peacefully on November 13, 2019, in Anacortes, Washington with her daughter, Diane, by her side. Joann was born on October 26, 1930, in the Yakima Valley to Roy Arend Van Wechel and Jennie Jongewaard Van Wechel. Joann’s parents and family were hard working and resourceful Dutch farmers. In 1849, Joann’s paternal great great grandparents set sail from Amsterdam with Joann’s great grandfather (17 years old at the time) to avoid his military draft into the Bonaparte dynasty. The family initially acquired and farmed land in the state of Wisconsin. Joann’s grandfather, Arend Jay Van Wechel, moved to Moxee, Washington in 1900 to farm. The sight of a large apple from Yakima had convinced him that the Yakima Valley was fertile. Joann always demonstrated the same determination, resourcefulness, and hard work ethics subsequent generations of her family have retained. Joann was the 5th child of six children: Vernon, Doris, Irene, Orville, Joann, and Joyce. Joann grew up working hard on the family farm before and after school by tending to the farm animals, milking cows, working the crops, and performing household tasks. After the crops were harvested, the family enjoyed picnics in the mountains. In the winter, the family and surrounding farmers flooded their fields so they could ice skate. Joann was a self-taught accomplished ice skater. As a girl and young woman, she also sang and played the harmonica in the Dutch Reformed Church. She loved all of her siblings, but she was especially close to her younger sister, Joyce. Joann would often recount some of their antics and adventures. Joann graduated from Sunnyside High School. She married Walter Scott Jackson at age 18 in 1948. She had five children: Diane, Larry, Randy, Gregory, and Kenneth. Joann was a loving and affectionate mother. She was proud to be a mother and homemaker. She took great pride in preparing nutritious meals and food for her children. She once mentioned that during the Great Depression there were times when she was hungry as a child. She promised herself that if she ever had children, they would never be hungry. She made true to that promise. Joann grew a large garden, and canned about 1,000 jars of fruit and vegetables for her family each summer and fall. She worked hard preparing hot breakfasts for her children every morning before they left for school. In the evenings, she prepared excellent dinners that included dessert. On weekday evenings, she packed healthy lunches, including a freshly baked cookie, for her children to take to school the next day. She also took great effort to assure that her children were well dressed. Due to unfortunate circumstances, Joann found herself as a single mother at age 30 with five children aged 3 to 11. Finances were a challenge, but Joann met that challenge with her determination and resourcefulness. She bought calves at auction, raised them to maturity, and sold them. She also purchased milk cows and sold the milk. She rose early each morning to milk her cows. After she served her children dinner, she headed out to milk the cows again. She had regular customers who purchased the milk. Sometimes her customers would see her approaching their door during a milk delivery, and they could be heard saying, “here comes the milk lady”. Joann also raised raspberries in her garden lot. Each raspberry season, Joann had regular customers who came to purchase the raspberries. She was very generous, and would heap the raspberry baskets to overflowing. When Joann’s children were grown, she took a job as an Attendant Counselor with the State of Washington at Yakima Valley School. Joann retired from state service in 1996. Joann is predeceased by her siblings, Vernon, Doris, Irene, and Orville, and by her son, Randy Jackson. She is survived by her daughter, Diane Jackson (Jim Perry), and sons, Larry Jackson, Gregory Jackson (Rae Jackson), and Kenneth Jackson (Kimberly Jackson). She is also survived by her sister, Joyce Gillihan of Prosser, eight grandchildren, six great grandchildren, and two great, great grandchildren along with many nieces and nephews. A Viewing has been scheduled for this Friday, November 22. 2019 from 12:00pm to 6:00pm at Valley Hills Funeral Home Yakima Chapel (2600 Business Ln Yakima WA98901) Funeral services will be held for Joann on Saturday, November 23, 2019, at 11:00 am also at Valley Hills Yakima. The Valley Hills horse-drawn carriage will lead the procession for the last mile to the Holland Cemetery in Moxee. A family hosted reception will take place at Provisions restaurant in Terrace Heights (2710 Terrace Heights Dr. Yakima, WA 98901) starting at 2:00pm. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Joann Van Wechel Jackson, please visit our flower store.