Carole Louise Jackson
Our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, Carole Louise Maccarillo Jackson, age 74, of Vernal, passed away suddenly on Christmas Eve, Dec 24, 2016. Carole was born on August 24, 1942, in Wendell, Idaho to Cora Marie (Short) and Joseph William Maccarillo. She was the 3rd of 6 children (Joe, Bob, Jeanie, Chris & Nick).
The majority of Carole’s childhood was spent in Hailey, Idaho until she graduated from High School. Her father was an upholsterer by day and musician by night at the Sun Valley resort; her mother was a homemaker and creative seamstress with a quick wit and the patience of a saint. Carole embodied the best traits from both her parents. She began performing with her father, older brothers and younger sisters, singing and playing the xylophone for many guests, countless movie stars and celebrities at the Sun Valley Resort during the 1950s.
When Carole was 16 years old she met her one true love, Carl Don Jackson; an Airman stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base. Carl was in Hailey to do some fishing and ended up with the catch of his life! They dated until her graduation and were married on July 22, 1961 in the St. Charles Catholic Church in Hailey Idaho. They began their life’s journey by moving to West Valley, Utah. She worked at Hercules in Kearns Utah until she decided to place her focus on raising her two beautiful sons, Henry Joseph and Michael Lee Jackson. Carole always possessed a faith and trust in the Lord but it was tested in the summer of 1984 when she and Carl lost their oldest son, Henry, in a mountain climbing accident. In her devastating sorrow, she began to write poetry and published two books to share with bereaved parents; ‘To Soar With Eagles’ and ‘Beneath My Wings’. Her faith only grew stronger.
Fate moved the family to Vernal in the summer of 1985, where she has spent the last 30 years loving the Uintah Basin, where she lived with her husband, son, daughter-in-law and her two beloved grandchildren (Kecia Dawn & Patrick Henry). After moving to Vernal she began spreading her wings and using her gifts to share with the community. She was a devoted cantor of the St. James Catholic Church where she spent every Sunday morning singing and helping with events. The rest of the week, you might find her dressing up in her Victorian Dress and bird hat for tea with friends or her White Leather Native American dress with over 100 elks’ ivory (collected from friends) carrying a black powder rifle with the other members of the Mountain Men Black Powder Shooting Group, or spending time with her quilting group, poetry group, vernal arts council, current topics, split mountain archers, Vernal rod n gun club. She and Carl also taught countless youths in Vernal, hunter education, organized YHEC national shoots and was the founder of the Women 22 Josie Shoot for 25+ years, or simply marveling at the site of a rainbow. Her love to help people especially in the outdoors was one of her passions. She continued her writings with “A Visit with Josie”, and started making crazy patch quilts to resemble the Josie Basset quilts with her long-time friends, Amy Lube and Ester Campbell.
While maintaining her grace and femininity, Carole decided that she was not going to be left behind in a masculine culture. She could fish, hunt, shoot a bow or go target shoot as well as (or better than) her male counterparts while wearing camouflage with fashionable jewelry. A great many family memories, far too many to put on this page, were made outdoors with Carl and the boys, from sitting on a cactus, to not being able to shoot a deer because she could see its brown eyes. She once pierced a beer can from fifty yards with a bow and arrow because we teased her about it, she then handed the bow back to Carl without a word and went back to the campfire to cook a delicious breakfast.
As we are deeply saddened with losing her; not being able to say ‘Goodbye’, we are filled with joy that her Christmas gift this year was “Hello Mom, It’s been a long time”, from Henry.
We love you so very much and will miss you dearly.
Carole is preceded in death by her son Henry Joseph Jackson, parents Cora & Joseph Maccarillo, and Brother Joe Maccarillo and father in-law Henry (Hinnie) Jackson. She is survived by her husband Carl Don Jackson, son Michael (Shellie) Jackson , grandkids (Kecia Dawn & Patrick Henry Jackson), brother Bob (Pat) Maccarillo, Sister Jean (Rocky) Higbee, Sister Christine Maccarillo, brother Nick (Vi) Maccarillo, many nieces and nephews and countless friends.
Funeral Service will be December 29, 2016 @ St James Catholic Church in Vernal Utah (138 W 100 N). Open Casket from 9:45-10:45, funeral @ 11:00. After funeral people may visit at Carole’s home 2460 W 1500 N.
In lieu of gifts, we ask that you simply love one another, use your talents for good; as she did.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, December 29, 2016 at 11:00 A.M. at the St. James Catholic Church (138 West 100 North). A visitation will be held from 9:45-10:45 A.M. at the church. Services will be under the direction of the Ashley Valley Funeral Home.
