Jacqueline Marie (Smith) Ormsby

Jackie passed away while in residence at Odd Fellows East Care Center. She was a longtime resident of Cashmere, WA before moving to Walla Walla.

Jackie was adventurous and accomplished.  She attended school in Cashmere and earned her teaching credential at Eastern Washington University.  She met a dashing military intelligence officer and was married in 1946 after corresponding throughout WWII. Jackie and Bob lived in Cashmere where they owned the Pioneer Market and Jackie taught school.

Jackie was recruited as Assistant Curriculum Director and then Curriculum Director for Walla Walla schools and the family moved here in 1966. She was awarded Educator of the Year from the Washington State Administrators and Supervisors of Curriculum Development. Jackie retired in 1986 but then mentored student teachers as an adjunct professor for EWU.

Throughout her busy career, Jackie maintained a love of learning and the arts. She traveled the U.S. and the world and particularly enjoyed Thailand and Egypt. She loved the wildlife that frequented her backyard on Berney Drive.  She was adept at all sorts of pursuits such as hunting geodes-cutting and polishing them; making ceramics as she had her own kiln, and gardening, even raising grapes to make wine.

After retirement, she learned to make articulated teddy bears and started an annual Teddy Bear Tea as a fundraiser for WA Retired Teachers Assoc. scholarships. Her 99 chapters were filled with her kindness and humor.  She will be remembered fondly by many.

Survived by her daughter, Mari Knutson Herbert; grandchildren, Shannon Ansbaugh, Sean Ormsby, and Geoff Knutson; two great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by her husband, William Robert Depaul Ormsby; and her son, Robert Depaul Ormsby, Jr.

A graveside service and internment will be held March 5, 1:00pm at Cashmere Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations could be made to the scholarship fund supporting educators. Please contact https://www.wssra-units.org/wallawalla-columbia/ or through Herring Groseclose Funeral Home 315 W. Alder St. Walla Walla, WA 99362.