Mary Kathryn Jackson

Mary Kathryn Driscoll Jackson—Kathy. Daughter, sister, wife, Mom, Grandma, friend, and advocate.

Kathy was born on May 1, 1952, in Denver, Colorado at Rose Hospital. She attended St. Rose of Lima Catholic School through seventh grade, finished her schooling at South High School, and later spent a year at Metro State University. Early in her adult life, she worked at a bank and then at the Federal Center, but it was when she was 18 that her true love story took off.

At a bowling party, she met Mike—and instantly took his breath away. It was love at first sight for both of them. After a year and a half of dating, they were married and set off to Hawaii for their honeymoon, beginning a life together built on deep partnership, adventure, and family.

To know Kathy was to have a fierce ally in your corner. She was the kind of friend you could call in the middle of the night—whether you needed help with a sick child, support through a marital crisis, or even bail out of jail! You could always count on Kathy to stand by you, no matter what. She was truly interested in all of her friends' lives, their families and wanted to learn about their pasts. One of her main love languages was taking care of people, often through her kitchen. Whenever someone was sick or welcomed a new baby, Kathy was immediately on their doorstep with homemade goodies—fresh breads, warm soups, cookies, specialty popcorn, and, of course, her famous popcorn balls.

She had an incredible memory and a huge heart. Kathy never forgot a date. Birthdays, anniversaries, milestones, and loss—she never missed sending a card or a text to let people know they were remembered and loved. She cared for her friends and their families as if they were her own.

When people think of Kathy, two words always come to mind: passion and advocacy. She had a lifelong fire for civil rights, women’s rights, and the environment. Long before it was trendy, Kathy was teaching those around her what Earth Day was about, how to recycle, and why planting trees mattered. She never backed down from a rally she believed in and was never afraid to stand up for justice and a better world.

Above all else, Kathy loved children. When she and Mike had their three daughters, Kathy started a home daycare so she could stay home with them. Kathy never met a baby she didn’t instantly love. Over the years, she cared for and raised more than 95 daycare children, loving each one as her own. When she eventually "retired" from daycare, her generous heart and compassionate spirit led her to become a Paraprofessional at Dakota Ridge and Arvada West High Schools. There, she lovingly cared for medically fragile students and taught them real-world skills, working tirelessly to empower them and improve their lives.

Kathy lived life to the fullest. She worked hard so she and Mike could travel, and she never said no to a new experience or adventure. She loved trying new foods everywhere she visited. She was the ultimate organizer and the beating heart of every gathering—planning camping trips, family vacations, and Sunday dinners. She was always the first to arrive at a party and the last to leave. Kathy also loved the arts, frequently attending high school plays and productions at the DCPA, a passion she delighted in sharing with her family. She had a quick, sharp sense of humor and was always ready to play a good practical joke.

Ultimately, family was number one to Kathy. Being married for over 55 years, they were blessed with six grandchildren. Kathy made sure her and Mike’s travels always revolved around the grandkids’ birthdays and milestone events. She never missed a sporting event, birthday, musical, school play, choir concert, or award ceremony. And if she absolutely could not be there in person, she demanded minute-by-minute updates on the scores and how every single child was doing.

Kathy was a woman of unbelievable strength. Throughout her life, she endured accidents that tried to slow her down, but they never succeeded. Over this past year, she fought hard—enduring far more than anyone ever should—yet maintaining her spirit and her smile until the very end.

While we take comfort in knowing she is no longer in pain, the loss we feel is immense. Kathy left an indelible mark on every person she met. Her legacy will live on forever through her friends, her community, her children, her grandchildren, and the generations of daycare children she helped raise. She remains forever in our hearts.

She is survived by her husband, Mike, & her three daughters & their families: Jenny & her husband, Shaun; Julie & her husband, Garrett, along with their children, Blake, Gray, & Cora; Stephanie & her husband, Ian, along with their children, Markus, Dominick, & Gwen.

We know Mom had a special place in everyone's hearts and you each have your own special memory about her. Please bring your favorite story, quote, or memory of Mom to share with our family that we can put in “The Grandma Scrap Book.” It can be hand written or typed and printed out so we can read about what an amazing woman she was whenever we miss her. Please bring this to the mass or reception so we can glue it in the book.

In lieu of flowers please consider donating to Kathy’s favorite charitable cause Dig Deep. You can go to the link and choose “Designate this gift” and include “In honor of Kathy Jackson” with your donation.