Jackie "Tet" Lavallee

Jackie “Tet” Lavallee passed away with her family by her side on February 18, 2024. Jackie was born and raised in Winooski, Vermont to Rita and Maurice Lavallee where she lived until 1985 when she moved to Tucson, Arizona with her beloved sister Barbara, brother-in-law David “Fritz” Lister and their children. Jackie resided in Tucson until 2012 and then relocated to Chandler, Arizona. Jackie is survived by her 5 nieces, Darla, Deanna, Dawnette, Dana, and Danielle, 2 nephews, Daryl and Dustin, many great, and great-great nieces and nephews, several fur-babies, as well as an abundance of family and friends. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, sister, brother-in-law, and great nephew Ryan Paul Lister.

Tet kept a notebook. A special notebook to Tet, but really what I would call a special notebook for all of us.

Births, baptisms, first communions, confirmations, graduations, engagements, weddings, First Periods… it didn’t matter. If the event was significant in one of our lives’ it made its way in the book. While the context of the book remains, the symbolism of what’s written throughout it carries a different meaning.

Because what used to be just a record of events, is now more of an acknowledgment of presence. Tet’s presence in the defining moments of all of our lives.

Tet was truly one of a kind. Through generations and decades — A pillar of our family.

Birthday Parties, Dinners, Staycations, Vacations, Nail Appointments, Hair Appointments, Church, Bingo, summers in Arizona, winters in Vermont.

Cherished memories that we all shared with her. Memories that aren’t included in Tet’s book, but if added, would tell the complete, as-she-would-tell-it story of her 84 years of meaningful, joyous, momentous life. The core moments that we experienced with Tet — The dates and events not at all included in the book is where her gift to our family lies.

The time in between her entries is symbolic of the time that we spent with her. The times watching Price is Right - obviously when Bob Barker was the host. The times playing cards together. Late nights spent gossiping and catching up. Hot dog Lunches and Spaghetti Dinners together. Racing at night to see who can get dressed for bed fastest. Or hearing her slippers down the hall at 6 am and knowing she definitely won the race to wake up the fastest. Receiving the daily run down of her program schedule and maybe even a recap of the week’s drama — because we know how dearly Tet loved her programs. Laughing through tears at jokes together. Watching her give our new babies’ bottles and seeing their kindred spirits’ grow closer together as we all grew older.

With Tet was laughter and love in abundance. The love and joy she had for her family could be felt anytime you were reuniting with her. Even if only after a short period of time, she’d often cry tears of excitement, overcome by such a tremendous joy just to be around the ones she loved most. Her spirit was jovial. Unbothered. Tet was hardly ever sad. Ever. And on a day where the pain of loss makes sadness feel insurmountable, we call on Tet’s pure, genuine, happy, loving, jovial, unbothered spirit to get through. Because the Tet way would not be to move through grief in sadness, but instead to grab a Twinkie with a toothpick and celebrate her 84 years of life that is outlined in her book and living continually within all of our memories with her.

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