Melissa Rose Jackson

Lt. Colonel Melissa Rose Jackson, 76, passed away peacefully at Ella’s Adult Family Home in Lacey, Washington, on June 8, 2021. She was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, on March 10, 1945, to Elsie McGuire Jackson and Edward James Jackson, who preceded her in death. She graduated from St. Vincent School of Nursing in 1965, and joined the United States Air Force in 1966. She served in Vietnam as a flight nurse, flight instructor and examiner, and transported patients on C141 aircraft from Vietnam to the United States. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1973, and became a Certified Nurse Midwife and Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner in 1974. She retired from the Air Force in 1986, after 20 years of military service. She moved to Washington state in 1987, and continued practicing midwifery at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tacoma and Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia. She enjoyed travel, photography, ocean trips, watching the whales and dolphins, and visiting the red rocks of Sedona every year. She loved and lived spirituality and practiced loving kindness all her life. She was a much loved friend who will be greatly missed by her friends and family. Special thanks to her friends, her family, and her Air Force family for their love and support during her illness; to Ella’s Adult Family Home for providing excellent compassionate care; and Providence Hospice for their compassion and support. In lieu of flowers, please donate to an animal shelter, Saint Joseph’s Indian School, or The Womens Memorial in Washington, D.C. Please leave condolences or share memories and photos on the Tribute Wall to the left. NO FLOWERS, PLEASE.