4 DECEMBER 15, 2007
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WHISLER continued
from front page
sons Doug and Mike into the world.
They divorced a few years later.
Jackie married Rob Whisler on
Dec. 8, 1990, in Gresham, and also
shared her life with Rob's children,
Jimmy Whisler and Angie Whisler
Knott, both now married.
She passed away on Dec. 3 in
Lincoln City, where she lived for
the last 23 years.
"Mom helped raise Rob's kids,"
Doug said. "She filled some of the
void that she missed with us. I feel
good that we were able to share what
we had with her with the others."
Cousin and Elder Mark Mercier
said he remembers the time both
their parents were not home and
Jackie made popcorn in a frying
pan. Without a lid. He talked about
her serious side concerning parent
ing and her adventurous side with
hobbies, such as skydiving.
She also enjoyed weekend camp
ing trips to Sand Lake, hunting
in eastern Oregon, playing games
and video poker, and spending time
with her mother, Jerry, before she
passed away.
"She was always there for me,"
said Tribal member Sam George.
When Tribal members organized
fundraisers for Jackie during her
long battle with cancer, Christine
Mercier said, "She said she had no
idea that so many people cared."
"Jackie was an example of love,
pure love," Tribal Elder Buddy
West said.
She was someone who "said yes
to life," said Tribal member Marion
Mercier. "She had boundless en
ergy." Tribal Council member June Sell
Sherer said she remembers "what
a wonderful person Jackie was,"
and how she made Chinook Wawa
language classes "fun."
"My sister, LeVeta, still has the
set of flash cards that Jackie made
for her in that first class," Sell
Sherer said.
Flutist Jan Michael Looking Wolf
Reibach played "Butterfly Visit"
from his "Seven Rabbits" CD at the
celebration of life, and Sell-Sherer
reminded the Tribe that Reibach
dedicated the CD to Jackie. "It is
in all the cancer treatment centers
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Photo by Peta Tinda
Jackie Whisler's first year with the pre-school Chinook Wawa language immersion program
was in 2002. On her lap are Tribal members Cameo Kester (left) and Shayla Ulestad-Espinoza.
To their left is Tribal member Logan Bobb, and to Logan's left are Tribal members Michael
Reyes (in back) and Trent Finley, with his back to the camera.
across the United States," she
said.
Jackie's supervisor in the lan
guage department, Tony Johnson
(Chinook), said, "Jackie was my
boss. I was not Jackie's boss."
"We don't have to look very far
back to remember great people in
our history," Johnson said. "She
earned the right
to be a big person
around here, but
she was hum
ble." "You never
heard anything
bad about her,"
said Christine
Mercier. "She
touched every
body's heart.
"One thing she
wanted more
than anything in the world is for
her family to come together and
be one."
Christine remembers the family
being with Jackie as her life drew
to a close at age 56. "Here are these
three big men (husband Rob, and
sons Doug and Mike) talking to her
with such compassion, wiping her
forehead and her cheeks, kissing
her forehead."
"We'd do anything for her," Doug
said.
Jackie's employment with the
Tribe, starting in 1986 as a contract
health clerk, was among the longest
of any Tribal employee, said her
father, Dean.
But Jackie was working for the
Tribe's Restoration long before
that. Along with her father and
the others involved in the effort
Elders Marvin
"We don't have to look very
far back to remember great
people in our history. She
earned the right to be a big
person around here, but
she was humble."
Education Coordinator
Tony Johnson
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Photo by Ron Karten
From left, drummers Lonnie Havanak (Siletz), Bubba Sohappy (Yakama), and Tribal
members Nick Atanacio, Bobby Mercier and Travis Mercier honored Jackie Whisler on
Dec. 7 at the Tribal cemetery.
Kimsey, Marga
ret Provost and
Merle Holmes,
who passed on
in 2004 she
kept persever
ing, continuing
to work at it in
countless ways
for almost 10
years until suc
cess came in late
1983.
"She helped write the first Admin
istration of Native Americans grant
for the Tribe," said Bob McElderry,
the Tribe's grant writer today.
Jackie served in many positions
with the Tribe, from Tribal Council
secretary to Tribal Council member
to her last position as a Chinook
Wawa immersion language teacher
for pre-school students. In her
honor, the students performed at
Jackie's celebration of life.
Of those early years, Jackie her
self said how her life
changed when she be
came involved with the
Restoration effort.
"I had been a stay-at-home
wife," she said in
a Restoration video pro
duced by the Cultural
Resources Department
for the Grand Ronde
cultural history exhibit
shown between Spirit
Mountain Casino and
the lodge.
Then her father, Dean,
called. "You need to get
out here and work for
your people," he said.
That was the begin
ning of a new phase for
Jackie. "We had a teepee
village behind the Sea
way Market," she said.
She made huckleberry
jam at home for fry
bread bake sales.
"Restoration took
away time from our
Mom," said Doug.
"She was always say
ing it would pay off in
the long run."
There were endless
meetings she hosted
and attended.
"Mom would make
sure things got set
up and we were in
the gym playing bas
ketball," Doug said.
"Sometimes there
were so few people
there wouldn't be a
meeting.
"I don't think we
would be where we
are as a Tribe with
out the hard work my
Mom did. I don't want
to lessen what others
did, but I'm definitely proud of what
my Mom did.
"Mom was the type that didn't go
out looking for credit or recogni
tion. She didn't need to be always
recognized. She did it not for re
ward but hoping that we would get
where we got."
But she knew what she wanted.
In the Restoration video, she said,
"I wanted our land base back. I
wanted my grandparents and my
kids to feel some sense that they
knew it was owed to them, that they
had a right to it, and I wanted them
to live it and feel it."
She is survived by her husband,
of Lincoln City; four children, Doug
and Mike Colton (married to Daph
ney) of Grand Ronde, and Jimmy
Whisler (married to Amy) and
Angie Knott (married to Nathan)
of Lincoln City; father and step
mother, of Grand Ronde; brother,
Harold Dean Mercier of Highland,
Calif.; sister, Cheryl Carl (married
to Bill) of McMinnville; uncle, Pete
Mooney of Grand Ronde; stepfa
ther, Dennis Noyes of Otis; seven
grandchildren and many nieces
and nephews. She was preceded in
death by her mother, Jerry Noyes.
A recital of the rosary was held
Dec. 6 at St. Michael's Catholic
Church in Grand Ronde. After the
celebration of life and graveside
ceremony on Dec. 7, a meal followed
in the Tribal Community Center.
Contributions in her memory can
be made to the American Cancer
Society. In honor of Whisler's legacy,
Tribal offices were closed Dec. 7.
Doug said he remembers family
camping trips.
"She was a good camper," he
said. "She was the organizer. She
got things ready to go. She took
charge of things, made sure things
got done. She was the ringleader of
everything, the whole family."
After the Rosary held for Jackie
in St. Michael's Church, Doug re
called a particular moment.
"We're ready to bring in Mom's
casket," he said, "and I found myself
waiting for her to get things going."
Dallas Mortuary Tribute Center
handled arrangements. Online
condolences can be left at www.
dallastribute.com.