Jacqueline M. Grant
May 28, 1938 - October 2, 2017
Jackie was born in San Francisco with a Shirley Temple effervescent can-do attitude. Her mother Helen was a Rosie the Riveter for Kaiser shipyards. Her Daddy Jim gave her a gift every day, and would sneak her into piano bars where he propped her on the bar while he sang impromptu. Daddy Jim died when she was 3. Just weeks later, sister Jan was born, and Jackie took confident charge. And when brother Lee came along, Jackie at 11 became an instant and joyous mother.
She was popular at school, and loved seeing friends who still continue to meet up several times a year.
Precociousness led to an early marriage to Gordon Jones, and three boys, Bob, Jeff, and Michael, before she was 20. The young marriage could not dampen her yearning to make her own money, or deny her thirst for continued learning. She went to Berkeley with a beehive hairdo and came out with a BA and flowers in her hair.
Her marriage ended, and she went for her Masters at Sonoma State. Her dyslexia was not an asset, as she is still remembered for giving a report on “Shared Traits of Orgasms” instead of “Organisms.”
She loved seeing people reach their potential and under the wing of her new husband Pete, she blossomed and began teaching at Los Medanos College and building up her seminar business.
This marriage and money ended hastily and she found herself selling HMO insurance in 1984 where she met Nik. “It is so nice to see someone wearing pink bottoms,” she said, and inescapably they were married. Soon employed at the College of Marin, she won an award for her role as academic counselor for athletes.
With Nik, Jackie discovered the joys of travel, visiting Europe 25 times in the 30 years of happy and loving marriage. During this time she overcame breast cancer three of the four times it struck, and each time her bravery and strength and love for Nik inspired family, friends, and strangers. Her love still lives on.
Celebration of her Life Well-Lived will be at Hull’s Walnut Creek Chapel, 11 November at 11AM. RSVP nik.grant@outlook.com In lieu of flowers, a donation to something Jackie would like.