Grace Jackson's Obituary
Grace Jackson asked to be remembered for the things that were most important to her in life, her family - her children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren - and her quilting. She was a champion in both. Grace was born on December 4, 1924 in Sandpoint, Idaho to Virginia North Ratliff and Farrell M. Ratliff. She moved to Tacoma with her family in 1937, and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1942. Of her high school career, she said that the only Â"AÂ" she ever got was in sewing, but that one Â"AÂ" gave her a lifelong avocation. During WWII she worked for the government in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, where she met Philip Carder. She and Phil were married on Jan. 4, 1947 and had three children. After PhilÂ's death in 1960, Grace and her children returned to Tacoma, where she raised her children and worked for Weyerhaeuser until her retirement in 1983. In 1970 she married E. E. Â"AlÂ" Jackson, and they lived in Puyallup until his death in 1993. Grace remained in Puyallup and continued to beautify her home and garden until 2002. GraceÂ's retirement from Weyerhaeuser marked the beginning of her quilting Â"careerÂ". Over the last 20 years, she created 100 quilts. She was sophisticated in her use of color and texture, and meticulous at her craft. She won many prizes, but her proudest achievement was winning the Grand Champion prize for quilting at the 2001 Western Washington State Fair in Puyallup. She considered each quilt she made one of her Â"childrenÂ" but she was generous in sharing them with her family and friends. Every person lucky enough to have something made by Grace, has something more than just fabric - each quilt is a visible piece of her creativity and love. In addition to her own quilts, Grace mentored aspiring quilters; she was always glad to make a convert, and she was very successful, because many of the people in her family are following in her footsteps. Grace loved, and was deeply loved by her family and wide circle of friends. She loved quilting and the friends who shared her passion for it. She loved family gatherings, fabric stores, and maple trees. Her life was infinitely more than four paragraphs in a newspaper, and she will be missed beyond measure. Grace is survived by her children Nikki Carder of Seattle, Chris Nuber of Federal Way, and Pete & Bev Carder of Tacoma; her grandchildren Eric Horst (Diana), Sasha Horst (John Harris), Lara Carder, Nicole Nuber, Ben Nuber, Philip Carder, Mark Carder and Kyle Wolford; and her great-grandchildren Sophia and Eeva Horst and Emma Rood. Grace is also survived by her brothers, Ralph Ratliff (Gloria) of Minneapolis and Rance Ratliff (Mary Ann) of Yuma, Arizona. We will celebrate GraceÂ's life on Saturday, July 19, 2003 from 2pm until 5pm at the Mt. View Celebration of Life Building. We would like anyone who has a quilt or anything Grace made to feel free to bring it with them and we will share the wonderful things she created. In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Comforters Quilt Guild.
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