Jacquelyne Houston Conces

Born on February 17, 1933, at her family’s home in Pasadena, Texas, Jackie was the youngest of five daughters of James Guy and Alice Highsaw Houston. Her father was sent to fight for our country in WWI, was mustard-gassed in the trenches in France and suffered from the damage to his lungs for the remainder of his life. He returned to his young wife to raise their family in Pasadena.

Jackie attended Kruse Elementary, Jackson Junior High and Pasadena High School. An honor student and gifted writer, she was editor of the PHS yearbook during her senior year and earned an invitation to attend Rice University. However, since she was the only wage-earner for her family during her disabled father’s unemployment, she instead took a secretarial job at Sinclair Refinery. She had been engaged to her future husband George B. Conces, Jr., also of Pasadena, and they married the year after her graduation from high school.

George and Jackie purchased a small parcel of land from his parents who lived next door and with his father, brother and brothers-in-law built the modest family home on South Shaver Street. The five-acre parcel shared by the two households allowed for chickens, cows and a large vegetable garden. The lifestyle Jackie stepped into became that of a young mother and housewife. She had five children by the time she was 28 years old, with the two oldest being born less than a year apart. Her dream of becoming a literature teacher pivoted to teaching her children; all five graduated with honors from high school and universities, three with advanced or multiple degrees and two awarded Jones Scholarships. Jackie nurtured in all the love of lifelong learning, a legacy now passed to their children and grandchildren.

Jackie returned to the workforce in the 1960’s, taking several positions at local businesses including Abbott Labs, Van Dreser & Hawkins and Leavesley Industries. Her final position before retirement was Product Manager for Makita Corporation, which allowed her to travel within the U.S. and abroad. She loved travel.

Following George’s death from Alzheimer’s in 2008, Jackie downsized and moved to a senior apartment residence in Pasadena, continuing an active life with family and friends, and later including a close companion Bob Lamb. Several years later she moved to Amarillo to a similar accommodation, near her youngest daughter Sharon. As her health declined, she moved to assisted living at Sagecreek in Amarillo, where she lived until her death. Her caregivers were exceptionally kind and loving.

A gifted writer all her life, she leaves for interested persons her published and handwritten memoirs, poems and reflections on life and her family’s history. More important, she leaves a wealth of family and friends who knew and loved her as an open, intelligent, caring woman of God.

Jackie was predeceased by her parents Alice and Guy Houston, by her sisters Helen McMillan, Josephine Boggus and Clara Stubbs, by her half-brother Frank Houston, by her beloved husband George and by her cherished daughter Barbara. She is survived by her sister Ashley Wysong, by her children Elizabeth Conces Spencer (Michael), George B. Conces III (Rhonda), James Guy Conces (Phyllis) and Sharon Conces Whiteley (Max), and by her brother-in-law Lawrence V. Conces (Aline) and sister-in-law Elizabeth Collins. Her thirteen grandchildren are Jacquelyne Greer, John Allen (Jes), George Conces IV (Kelsey), Kyle Conces (Susan), Sara Fontenot (Andrew), Michael Conces (Haley), Emily Travis (Lee), Jessica Herren, Hayden Herren, James Conces (Jen), Carola Binder (Joe), Joe Whiteley (Tonya), and Ellen Steele (Cameron). Fifteen great-grandchildren also mourn the loss of their Grandma Jackie. Numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, extended family and easily-won friends will miss her wit, her loving nature and her uncanny good luck at card games and bingo.

Visitation with the family will be Friday, August 5 at Pasadena Funeral Chapel, 2203 Pasadena Blvd., Pasadena, TX 77502, from 5:00 until 8:00 PM. The funeral service will be at 10:00 AM on Saturday, August 6, also at Pasadena Funeral Chapel, followed by burial at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery. Her grandsons are honored to serve as pallbearers.

While Jackie loved flowers, those who mourn are invited to offer donations in her memory to the animal or medical charities they support.