Born in 1929 in Attleboro, MA, to Clifford and Mary (Danue) Cole, she was the younger of two sisters.
Jackie was predeceased by her loving husband of 55 years, George E. Wilson, and her two sons, Scott C. Wilson and Daniel F. Wilson.
Jackie is survived by her daughter Cheryl Cowley and her husband Martin, her daughter Bridgett McGinness and her husband Jay, and her daughter Samantha Baer. She is also survived by thirteen grandchildren, Daniel, Cole, Briar, Mark, Jayme, Phoebe, Alex, Sierra, Zach, Cole, Cameron, Schuyler and Eva, and four great-grandchildren, Daniel, Brooklyn, Taylor and Rowan.
A loving wife, mother and grand-mother, Jackie followed her Navy husband and love of her life for twenty-two years of service and many, many moves, even spending time in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. She moved an additional five times as he pursued his second career in the US Government. Although she claimed she was going to nail down her furniture, the travel bug was in their blood and throughout her retirement years they traveled all around the US in their airstream trailer and visited numerous countries such as Egypt, Denmark, Spain, and Turkey. A successful bookkeeper, she worked when she could, and was always respected for her quality work, and loved for her humor and friendship.
For all their traveling, her role was always to take care of her family’s needs first and to be there whenever there was a school event, special program, celebration, or a tragedy that required her care and comfort. She was a devoted wife who was lovingly referred to as “the Babe.” A kind and joyous person who reveled in life, she loved to dance and made fast friends of everyone she met. She was always considered the neighborhood mom and took in numerous other children throughout the years, even though she had five of her own.
Jacqueline requested an intimate memorial at her home at Glenaire Retirement Community, and that her urn be placed with her husbands at Barrancas National Cemetery at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida. The memorial service to celebrate her life will be held on Wednesday, November 28, at 4:00 p.m. at Glenaire Retirement Community, 5000 Glenhope Circle, Cary, North Carolina, in the Central Skilled Town Center.
Special thanks go out to the staff of Glenaire Skilled Nursing Facility, who lovingly took care of Jackie throughout her battle with Alzheimer’s.
In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to the Glenaire Assistance Fund. Checks can be made out to the PHI Fund and sent to Glenaire, 4000 Glenaire Circle, Cary, NC 27511.
Arrangements with Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, Cary.
