Jackie Celeste Dahlkamp

Jackie was born on 6 September 1979 at the Naval Hospital, Camp Pendleton California to Michael and Marion Dale Dahlkamp. She continued to live at Camp Pendleton, California until she moved to Hawaii with her parents which started her on her love of going places. There wasn’t a place she didn’t like to go with WalMart and Target being her favorite. No matter where she went to a WalMart, she knew exactly where to go to get what she wanted. A shopping savant at her best. She continued to travel with her parents and sister wherever the Marine Corps sent them. She traveled to Hawaii, California and most of the states between California and Illinois where her family was from. She also lived in Maryland, Camp Lejeune North Carolina and finally settled in Virginia.

Jackie loved all things. But her favorite had to be the water; whether at the beaches of California, Hawaii, or North Carolina or in a pool, she loved the water and had no fear of it. She would sit for hours playing in the sand as a child at the beach or go running playfully toward the surf with Mom or Dad chasing her. She didn’t care, she was having fun. She had a great love for animals, but on her terms. She had four dogs throughout her life, all of the pugs. As a child, she would torment them endlessly but they put up with her; they knew she was special. Her favorite animal had to be a horse. She started riding early in her life while living in California and continued here in Virginia where she rode Max the Wonder Horse” every Sunday when she took riding lessons. There was never an animal she didn’t like….

Jackie was Special Olympics’ athlete for over twenty years participating in swimming (of course), basketball skills, track and field and believe it or not, floor hockey. In swimming she did the free-style and back stroke and in track, did short sprints (50 or 100 meters depending on her knee) or she would walk that distance and for many years, she did the shot put. She won many Gold Medals in all of these sports, participating in the local area meets or the State Level completion for basketball, swimming and track and field. She traveled with her team to New York City, Maryland or Pennsylvania for floor hockey tournaments. Her collection of medals would cover an entire wall of her bedroom and she loved taking them to her adult center to show them off.

If there is one thing that Jackie will be remember for by most people is her love a good party. She was the perfect party animal. She attended every dance she could that were hosted by the Arc of Greater Prince William….the Halloween Dance being one of her favorites followed by the Christmas and the Dance Marathon. But her favorite would be Spring Formal where all of her peers would dress in their finest and get down and party. She loved all the music played and especially loved the line dances. But her favorite would have to be the Chicken Dance….the party wouldn’t be complete without it. She would tell the DJ “Chicken” and they knew they better get it ready. Her last party was to Disney World where she spent a fund filled week end with her favorite Disney characters and princess with her little sister Emily and her mother. She was a party girl.

Jackie’s legacy and life will live on through others. She became an organ donor and she was able to save the four people through her donations. And she will not be remembered as a “Special Person” but as an “Exceptional Person”!!

Jackie is survived by her parents, Michael and Marion Dale and her little sister Emily Waite (Kris), two nieces and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins plus many, many friend from her wonderful life.