Jill enjoyed many adventures in her life and accomplished much! In her youth, she was a member of her local 4-H Club and Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS), was a camp counselor, and played on her high school and college volleyball teams. She loved to explore nature; gardening, camping, vacationing, hiking, snorkeling, and swimming topped the list throughout her life. Much time was spent thoughtfully preparing for family gatherings full of activities, games, crafts, prizes, and photographs to help preserve the memories. She faithfully attended her son’s activities, worshiped with her church family at Bachelor Creek Church of Christ, and maintained meaningful relationships with family, friends, and colleagues.
Jill’s love of education started with reading Laura Ingalls Wilder books, which led her to a career in Education. She graduated with honors from Hopkins High School, Hopkins, Michigan, in 1999; graduated from Manchester College with a B.S. in English Education in 2003, and earned her Master’s Degree from Ball State University. With all of these credentials, she passionately mentored students as a teacher and administrator. She taught at Gateway Education Center in Warsaw and White’s Jr.-Sr. High School in Wabash before becoming an administrator in the Warsaw Community Schools district. Her role as the Assistant Director at the Warsaw Area Career Center is a position she championed for eight years, all the way through her final days. In 2023, Jill was awarded the Indiana ACTED Administrator of the Year award for her exceptional and tireless efforts in her position.
It would be remiss to not highlight Jill’s warmth, attention to detail, ceaseless hope, quick-wit, and perfectly-timed humor that has generously been impressed upon those that spent time with her. Jill is survived by her husband, Kyle Jackson, and sons, Landon and Logan, Roann, Indiana; parents, Steve and Jane Mele, Allegan, Michigan; father and mother-in-law, Henry and Marcia Jackson, Roann, IN; four siblings, Gina (Lucas) Krick; Will (Kelly) Mele; Kyle (Lisa) Mele; Luke (Becca) Mele; sister-in-law, Amy (Shannon) Floor; and 14 nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents William and Laura Mele and Richard and JoAnne McElvain.
Visitation will be from 2 – 8 p.m. Sunday, January 21, 2024, at Bachelor Creek Church of Christ, 2147 IN-15, Wabash, Indiana. A funeral service will be held at the church beginning at 11 a.m. on Monday, January 22, 2024, with Pastor Joel Cogdell officiating, with calling beginning at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, 997 W. Indiana 114, North Manchester, Indiana. Fellowship and meal following graveside interment on Monday the 22nd at the church.
A celebration of life in Jill’s hometown of Allegan, Michigan will be announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, an educational fund has been established for her sons. Checks should be made payable to Kyle Jackson designating the fund.
Arrangements handled by McKee Mortuary, North Manchester, Indiana.
Condolences may be emailed to mckeemortuary.com