Lisa Jackson

Lisa Ann Mecklenberg was born looking for fun and adventure on July 12, 1966, the youngest of five children of Rodney and Carrie Ann Mecklenberg.  On May 27, 2024, she died too young and with so much left to do after a fearless roller coaster battle with metastatic breast cancer.

Lisa was born in Alexandria, MN, and spent her early years in Kensington, MN before her family moved north to Lake Ada near Pine River, MN.  From a young age and throughout her life, Lisa excelled academically and was a talented multi-sport athlete.  After childhood, high school (Backus HS - 1984), and college (B.A. from Concordia College - 1988) in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” she spread her wings and moved away for jobs and to earn advanced degrees (Juris Doctor from the Univ. of North Dakota School of Law – 1996, and Master of Library and Information Science from the Univ. of Washington - 1997), eventually landing in Helena, MT in 1997.  Soon thereafter, she met her future husband while competing in an adult soccer game.  Their match continued for the next 25 years.

Lisa lived in Helena, MT for many years, working for the Montana Supreme Court and Montana Legislature as a staff attorney, Legislative Librarian for Montana, and State Law Librarian of Montana.  In 2010, she and her family moved to Missoula, MT, where Lisa’s work experience included serving as Executive Director of the Montana Innocence Project, an organization working to exonerate the wrongfully convicted from prison.  Most recently Lisa was an attorney at Montana Elder Law, assisting people with their estate planning needs.

Lisa was exceedingly hardworking, but also took time for her love of the outdoors, sports, live music, and anything chocolate.  She was a devoted Elvis fan, and Winnie the Pooh was her hero.  Lisa had a flair for planning and decorating for events and provided a spark of enthusiasm in any setting.

As much as she loved being of service to others, Lisa’s daughters Anja and Rane were without a doubt her pride and joy.  She loved being the mother of “twinadoes” and was endlessly proud of them.  She was a loving, committed, and involved mother who was her children’s biggest cheerleader.  They were her world. 

Lisa equally relished her role as fun-loving stepmother for sons Tanner, Kyle, and Logan, always ready to join the latest exploit and to provide love and support in whatever way was needed.  More recently, she was honored by her title of “Bestie,” a nickname for bestemor which is Norwegian for grandma, bestowed by Willa and Boone.

Helping others (people and animals) was the essence of Lisa.  She was very community focused and served on many local boards and service groups.  Some of the organizations to which Lisa currently and proudly devoted her time, creativity, and passion include Sentinel Kiwanis, Silver Linings, Montana Library Association, Friends of Missoula Public Library, Sons of Norway, First United Methodist Church, Missoula Public Library Board of Trustees, CASA of Missoula, PEO (Chapter AM), Missoula Interfaith Collaborative, Missoula County Elections Office, Humane Society of Western Montana, and AniMeals.

Despite the last two years of seemingly never-ending treatments, surgeries, scans, and medical appointments, Lisa never stopped hoping and fighting, never stopped working and volunteering, and never stopped cheering for her kids.  She persevered in the face of persistent cancer-induced pain and frustration.  Lisa was ever so grateful for the caring and skilled doctors, nurses, and staff at the Montana Cancer Center at Providence St. Patrick’s Hospital in Missoula.

Lisa is survived by her husband Scott Jackson; children and stepchildren Anja Jackson, Rane Jackson, Kyle (Lindsay Selser) Jackson, and Logan (Courtney Johnson) Jackson; grandchildren Willa Jackson and Boone Jackson (Kyle and Lindsay’s children), and young friend Sullivan Frankl (Courtney’s daughter); siblings in Pine River, MN, Steve Mecklenberg, Laurie (Mel) Furney, Dave Mecklenberg, and Mike (Shelly) Mecklenberg, as well as by many loving in-laws, cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and numerous exceptional 2 and 4-legged friends.

Lisa was preceded in death by her parents Rodney and Carrie Ann Mecklenberg, and her stepson Tanner Jackson.

Lisa’s large and extended family is grateful to all who have expressed sympathy and shared touching memories.  If you would like to leave condolences, please visit www.justcremationmt.com.  In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor Lisa are asked to please consider a donation in Lisa’s memory to AniMeals (https://www.animeals.com) or the Humane Society of Western MT (https://myhswm.org).

A celebration of Lisa’s life will be held Sunday, July 7, 2024, 1:30-4:30, Missoula Public Library, 455 E. Main St., Missoula, MT (4th floor, Cooper A/B).  Please join us!