Dorothy Jean Jack

DOROTHY (Dottie) JEAN (SHACKELFORD) JACK was born to sharecropper parents on July 13, 1932 in Columbus, Mississippi. She had one sister and four brothers. They all picked cotton and took care of the farm animals. At the owners request, her family lived in the owners big, fancy house, where there were many fine pieces of art, furniture and living utensils. She may have had one pair of shoes per year, but she lived eating with sterling silverware off of bone china plates! She had manners and elegance from a young age.

After high school graduation she made her way from Columbus, Mississippi to Washington DC - by Greyhound Bus, determined to get out of her very small, farming town to the "big" city. She lived with her sister there and in less than a week after arriving, she had a typist job at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), working there from 1951 to 1958. She advanced to fingerprint specialist and then on the secretarial pool for J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI Director at the time. She met her only love, CHARLES JACK, on a blind date and was married four weeks later on October 10, 1951.

She was just 19 years old. Their wedding was a social occasion shepherded by her groom's aunts; her "fancy" upbringing in the owners' home in Mississippi had come full circle.

Her first child, a girl, LINDA ILENE, was born in 1955, at Fort Belvoir, in Alexandria, Virginia where her husband served in the Army during the Korean War. She broke the mold at that time and continued working full time.

In 1958, her small family moved to Reno, Nevada so her husband could attend college. She got a job in 1959 with Harrah's Club, as a roulette dealer. She quickly became a lead dealer. She also worked part time as a secretary for local title insurance company. She was the breadwinner, while husband pushed on to graduation (while working part time).

Her second child, a son, JEFFERY DEAN, was born in 1959, in Sparks, Nevada. She continued to work until 1961, when her husband graduated college and secured a great career job as a Civil Engineer with the City of Los Angeles in Southern California.

She was a terrific stay at home Mom from 1961 to 1972, providing much fun and happiness to her family while living in the San Fernando Valley (Canoga Park, California). In 1972, a doctor friend of hers, asked her to help out in his office; she worked there as a receptionist for two years. Another friend asked her to work in her fledgling printing company, so she also worked there. She was able to retire in 1974 as her husband's career was soring.

She was an avid bridge player and spent many hours crocheting large dollies that became epic for her family and friends. She cooked up a storm; always having a meal prepared for a friend or neighbor in need. She became an expert square dancer along with her husband.

In 1997, her husband retired and they came to their dream home in Sun Lakes Country Club in Banning, CA. She promptly made many friends there. She and her husband travelled frequently in Europe and the United States. Sometimes those trips were taken in a 5th wheel travel trailer. She followed her husband into many public monuments and museums, happy to see him happy, while confirming that she preferred fishing and hiking. Of course, this couple blended their personalities and travelled happily for nearly ten years. Her Sun Lakes friends became serious bridge partners whom she frequently hosted in her home up to a few years before the end of her lift. She cared for her ailing husband, at home, for seven years up to his death on January 5, 2009.

In 2005 her health slowed down and she began enjoying more of the company of her son whom visited about twice a week. In 2019, he began coming by once a day and then in 2021 he took over her care on a daily basis up until her passing on Friday, January 29, 2022 at Redlands Community Hospital in Redlands, California. She led a good life, coming quietly to the end.

Dottie is survived by her daughter Linda Weeks (husband, Dennis), her son Jeffery Jack (wife, Yumiko), two brothers, one sister, two grandchildren, Evan Weeks and Leah Weeks and two small great granddaughters, Aurora Weeks, age 6 and Aleena Weeks, age 3, plus a brother and several cousins, nieces nephews, and many friends. She will be sorely missed by all of them!

She will be buried with her husband at the United States Veterans Cemetery in Riverside, CA. There will be a graveside service pending at a later date. The family invites all friends and family to a reception luncheon, details pending. In lieu of flowers the family prefers donations be made in Dorothy Jacks memory to RIVERSIDE COUNTY PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS BENEVOLENT FUND (RCPFBF,

21160 Box Springs Road, Suite 105, Moreno Valley, CA, 92557).