Vera "Jackie" Pattisson

Vera May Pattisson, known to all as Jackie, was born October 10, 1929, in Almont, Ontario Canada. She loved being a Canadian and remained so at the time of her death on November 7, 2024, at 95 years old.

Jackie adored helping people, which was a recurring theme throughout her entire life. She also loved all aspects of being a wife to her husband Joe for 68 years, and a mother to her children Dean Pattisson and Kyle Thomason, who all survive her. Additionally, Jackie’s love for animals knew know bounds.

She also had a dream of being able to see the world. To that end, following the death of her brother who was sent to war, she left her parents in Canada and came into the United States at 19 years old, knowing no one, but answering a call for a potential job at American Airlines. Jackie was hired by the airline as a stewardess in the early 1950’s when it was extremely glamorous to hold that position.

Jackie was sent to San Francisco to work, and it was there, while on a trip with her ski club that Jackie met the love of her life, Joe Pattisson. Joe was a flight crew member for Pan American Airlines and together they would eventually fulfill both their dreams of traveling the world.

Jackie and Joe were married in 1956. She had two children, Dean and Kyle, and Jackie quickly dove into being a full-time mother, loving every minute of it. For the next 18 years, Jackie was everything a child could look up to in a mom. She was strong, fierce in protection of her kids, willing to do anything for their dreams, and spent countless hours driving both Dean and Kyle to 5 am hockey or swimming workouts, motocross races and of course more swimming workouts at night. Jackie never complained and still managed to cook all meals and be an amazing cook at that.

Following the children going off to college, Jackie was able to fulfill other areas of her life that she had wanted to do. She worked as a veterinarian’s assistant for 5 years and thoroughly enjoyed helping all animals, big and small.

Jackie then changed courses and went to work for the hotel industry at the Sheridan DTC as a concierge. She remained there for 17 years and really came into her own. She could point out all the great things Denver had to offer, knew of all the hottest things to do, and was given freebies at all the great restaurants in town. Going out to dinner with Jackie was an event in itself. She never walked far into any restaurant before someone would yell “Jackie!” and the manager, waiters and staff would hover around to say hello. Jackie was in her element and loved it.

It was at this time that she and Joe also started their world travels. Jackie and Joe managed to explore countries far and wide, sometimes on cruise ships, sometimes with adventure tours and some in the beginning with just themselves. The went everywhere from Europe to the Middle East, to South America, New Zealand and Australia. They even went to the Galapagos and Antarctica! All the while, they enjoyed the various cultures, and of course Jackie had to pay extra special attention to all the little children she met and the various animals she could love from elephants in Africa, sheep in Ireland and Kohala’s in Australia. Suffice to say, no part of the world was left untouched by Jackie’s footprint.

As Jackie got older, her exercise classes became paramount to her. She went faithfully to her aerobics classes twice a week with her favorite instructor Pam up until she turned 90.

We will miss our wife, and mother more than words can say, and her legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of everyone she met and interacted with. Share your stories of remembrance on Wednesday, December 4th at Horan & McConaty at 2:00 pm, 5303 E. County Line Rd., Centennial, CO 80122

Help Jackie’s kindness, loyalty and compassion continue by making a donation to Guiding Eyes for the Blind, her favorite dog adoption agency.