Dennis Glenn Jackson

Dennis Glenn Jackson passed away suddenly on Thursday, November 7th, 2024, in Boise, Idaho, surrounded by family. Dennis was the sixth of nine children born to Robert and Bernice Jackson on March 13, 1958, in Port Townsend, WA. Dennis grew up on the peninsula in Jefferson County, Washington where he enjoyed digging clams, picking berries, and cutting cedar tips and firewood. Many memories were made every summer at church and at the Discovery Bay Campground. He attended Chimacum Schools while on the peninsula and later, Dennis was an athlete in the Tacoma School District. He spent a lot of time going to Tacoma Twins games with his brothers and during junior high he once rode his 10-speed from Tacoma to Port Hadlock in eight hours with his brother David.

Dennis first enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1975 where he was stationed at Fort Lewis for artillery in the 9th Infantry Division. He continued to pursue a career in the military for 15 years as a Special Security Officer trained for Automatic Data

Telecommunications Center Operator. Stationed in Okinawa, Japan; Berlin, Germany; and Fort Meade, Maryland, Dennis traveled the world and was blessed with three daughters during his time in the military. After the military, Dennis returned to the Pacific Northwest and went to work for the Federal Highways Administration for 29 years, where again, he was able to travel all over the western United States surveying. Dennis made many lifelong friends while surveying for the Federal Highways Administration. This was an incredible part of Dennis’s life as he was able to work for the Federal Highways Administration alongside his brothers Dan and Harvey for many years. He loved the outdoors and his work and was blessed to be able to share these adventures with his daughters as they traveled with him in the summer – he was able to give them an experience of a lifetime seeing places most people never get to see. Time spent at Yellowstone, Glacier Park, Crater Lakes, the Oregon Coast and so many destinations throughout the Northwest created a lifetime of experiences and memories Dennis and his daughter will forever cherish.

Dennis enjoyed watching his Seahawks play, so much that he often took three-day weekends to share the game experience with his girls and grandchildren – win or lose, they were his team. His love for sports led to him becoming an avid sports card collector. He enjoyed this hobby with some of his brothers and his daughters – so many memories of shopping for cards, opening packs together and finding places to store them. 

Dennis adored his three daughters Amber, Heather, and Elisha, and he loved being a grandpa to his 9 grandchildren (8 boys and 1 girl). Some of his favorite times with family were playing dice and Pit, telling stories, and traveling to Yellowstone. He loved camping at “Happy Camp” in Naches, WA, and Fort Warden where he explored the bunkers with his daughters, brother David and nieces and nephews.

Dennis was fond of a little gambling with his grandchildren and was famous for buying and sharing his habit for “scratch it” lottery tickets. His girls and grandkids looked forward to the “scratch it” tickets every year in their Christmas stockings, and in return, he would find a can of Hamm’s or Rainer in his stocking every year. In addition, Dennis would gold-pan. He collected buckets of “sand” with potential for gold, and with his grandsons, he would practice panning for gold in the backyard.

Dennis was a simple man and lived a simple life. He did not have need for much. All that mattered to him was family and spending time with them.

Dennis was preceded in death by his daughter Amber, parents Robert and Bernice Jackson, and brothers Dan Jackson, Patrick (AJ) Jackson, and Harvey Jackson.

He is survived by his daughters Heather Richards (Ed) of Shelton, WA, and Elisha Felts (Jason) of Sandpoint, Idaho; his grandchildren Kage Jackson, Kannon Ruano, Kody Ruano, Ryan Richards, Braigen Hanson, Jacob Richards, Ronin Felts, and Teighan Ruzicka, Wyatt Felts; his brothers Robert Jackson of Port Hadlock, WA, David Jackson of Boise, Idaho, Jeff Jackson (Tamra) of Bridgeport, WA, Allen Jackson of Tacoma, WA, and sister Denise Arland (Glenn) of Davenport, WA and many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the staff at Saint Alphonsus for their compassion and support and Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel for assisting with final arrangements.