BURLINGTON, Skagit County Thousands packed a high-school football stadium Tuesday to remember Skagit County sheriff's Deputy Anne Jackson, who was among the first victims of a shooting spree that claimed the lives of six people last week.

Jackson, 40, was remembered as a devoted friend, a co-worker who would always remember a colleague's favorite coffee drink and a law-enforcement officer with a passion for helping the mentally ill. Though nearly 4,000 gathered at Burlington-Edison High School under a cloudless sky to remember Jackson, several speakers, including members of Jackson's family, asked that people pray for the families of the five other people killed on Sept. 2.

"Skagit County has endured a great tragedy in the deaths of six of our community members," Skagit County Commissioner Don Munks told the crowd, which included officers from Canada to Kelso and from Anacortes to Twisp.

Jackson was killed when she responded to a call at the home of Alger resident Chet Rose, who was also slain. Six people were killed in the series of shootings that stretched from the rural community to Interstate 5. Four others were wounded in the spree that police and prosecutors have blamed on Isaac Zamora, a man described as "extremely mentally ill" by his mother.

Zamora, 28, was charged last week with six counts of first-degree murder and four counts of first-degree assault with a firearm or deadly weapon in Skagit County District Court. He is being held in jail in lieu of $5 million bail.

In addition to Jackson and Rose, 58, also killed were David Radcliffe, 57, of Clear Lake, Skagit County; Greg Gillum, 38, of Mount Vernon; Julie Binschus, 48, of Alger; and LeRoy Lange, 64, of Methow, Okanogan County.

Jackson is the first Skagit County sheriff's deputy to be killed in the line of duty since August 1981, when a drunken driver's car struck the patrol car of Deputy Alan Hultgren, 30.

Jackson was born in Savannah, Ga., and grew up in Santa Barbara, Calif. Jackson's cousin, Jeanine Rood, said at the memorial service that her younger cousin always had an "exuberant smile" and was full of laughter.

Soon after high school, Jackson moved to Bellingham because it reminded her of Santa Barbara, said her longtime friend, Monique Stefens.

Stefens shared stories about the two going on an overnight horseback riding trip as teenagers and how they could discuss various topics, including "philosophy, politics, boys and beauty products."

In 1994, Jackson translated her love for horses into a job as a wrangler for the Black Mountain Ranch, a private recreational development northeast of Bellingham where she taught countless children to ride. Jackson bought a ranch of her own in the town of Deming, Whatcom County, and competed in horse shows on her Appaloosa mare.

In 2002 she left Black Mountain to develop the animal-control unit for the Skagit County Sheriff.

Jackson became a Skagit County sheriff's deputy in 2005, but retained her love for animals.

Skagit County Sheriff Rick Grimstead said that he and Jackson shared a love of horses and often talked about animals. Grimstead remembered Jackson's dry sense of humor and called her a "precious warrior."

State Patrol Chief John Batiste read a statement prepared by Gov. Christine Gregoire, whose flight was grounded in Washington, D.C., and kept her from attending Tuesday's memorial. He said that "Washingtonians everywhere are heartbroken" and "People don't come any better than Anne."

Sheriff's Sgt. Annette Lindquist, who was Jackson's supervisor, said that the slain deputy was deeply connected with their squad of eight. She said they had made it their squad goal to "find her a man."

Jackson, whom co-workers called "A.J," loved her job and admired fellow deputies so much that she more than once said, "Pinch me, I'm a deputy," Lindquist remembered.

"A.J. stayed connected with all of us," Lindquist said. "A.J., we love you. Rest in peace, sister. We will hold the line."

Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com