Mary Patricia "Pat" Jackson

Mary Patricia “Pat” Jackson, 96, passed away peacefully on March 16, 2021 at North Woods Village in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Pat was born on December 12, 1924 to the late Mary Ruth (Van Natta) and Leigh Lavon Hunt in Fort Wayne, where she spent most of her long and beautiful life. She attended Denison University joining the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority there, graduated from Ball State University, Phi Beta Kappa, and earned her Master’s Degree from the University of Saint Francis. She married Byron (Barney) Jackson, another Fort Wayne native, in 1945. Pat was a much loved high school English teacher and a member of the Fort Wayne chapter of the Psi Iota Xi sorority. She was an avid reader, brilliant cross word puzzle solver, pianist, and a talented needle-worker. Prior to the advent of the internet, she spent years researching family genealogy in the Fort Wayne Public Library and Salt Lake City. Pat was well known as a writer, especially for her poetry. She wrote book reviews and a hymn in collaboration with Trinity English Lutheran Church, where she was a longtime active member. Pat loved to fish with Barney and achieved the nickname “Salmon Patty.” Her wit, intelligence, sense of humor and loving kindness will be sorely missed by all who knew her. She is survived by her daughter, Jennifer Huffer; son, Douglas (Beth) Jackson; daughter-in-law, Gale Jackson; six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; sister, Ellen (Hunt) Wilks; and a host of nieces and nephews. Also preceding her in passing was her husband, Barney; son, Dennis Hunt Jackson; and sister, Priscilla Hunt. Due to the Covid pandemic, a celebration of her life will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Trinity English Lutheran Church, 450 West Washington Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN, 46802.