"Jacky" Sadie Jacquelyn Waller

February 6, 1941 – March 15, 2021

Ellicott City, Maryland

Jacky is now enjoying a new mind, body, and heavenly home with her Lord. After battling Alzheimer’s disease for many years, she died of natural causes in her home surrounded by those who loved her.

She is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, William “Bill” Waller III; her 4 children and their spouses, Billy (Gwen), Troy (Cindy), Wendy (Keith), and Jonathan (Stephanie); her 13 grandchildren and their spouses, Trav (Cate), Brooke (Jake), Carla, Trenae, Amy (Matthew), Tressa (Nick), Lauren, Emily, Trenton “TJ”, Lincoln, Sadie, Duke, and Levi; her great-grandson, Logan; her sister, Sanan Brazzeal; her brother-in-law, David Brazzeal; and her sister-in-law, Rosemary Hamilton, previously married to Jacky’s late brother, Layton Rogers.

Sadie Jacquelyn was born in Birmingham, Alabama to John and Mary Elizabeth Rogers. She grew up in South Roebuck attending Woodlawn High School, then Auburn University. After graduation, she and Bill married at Ruhama Baptist Church in June 1963 and moved to Laurel, Maryland. They quickly started a family and with two young sons, Billy and Troy, transferred to Camp Zama, Japan for a 3-year tour. In Japan, their daughter Wendy arrived. Upon returning, Jonathan was born. She raised her children in a Christian home and gave them the gift of a wonderful childhood. When grandchildren began arriving, she became affectionately known as “Grammy.” All 13 grandchildren loved to visit and play with Grammy whenever they could.

She loved and was especially active in her church, the First Baptist Church of Savage. She lived to serve others and point them to Jesus, her Savior. She taught younger girls in the church’s GA program, initiated an International Student Fellowship Ministry for local university students, taught ESL classes, and actively shared the Good News of Jesus with those she interacted with as part of the Howard County Jail Ministry and the Jessup Truck Stop Ministry. Having served as a Board Member of the Baptist Family and Children’s Services of Maryland for 10 years, she encouraged volunteer support for families and children with exceptional needs. She volunteered in the Howard County School system, traveled to Mississippi to help with hurricane recovery, and spent several weeks ministering to the Choctaw Indians in Oklahoma. God truly blessed her with many gifts which she used to honor Him and serve His church. She played the piano, sang in the family quartet and church choir, used her gift of writing to edit the church and Maryland Baptist newsletters, continually advocated for local and foreign missionary work, and later started the Bread of Life Food Pantry which continues today. Jacky reached out and touched countless lives in the community, providing those around her an example of how to sacrificially love others. Jacky loved to plan and publicize events for her church family and to share God’s message with those in the community. She was known for inventing games and silly activities everyone could enjoy, laughing a lot, and was sometimes even accused of instigating practical jokes. People were drawn to her because of her quick wit and the love she freely shared.

Anyone who met Jacky quickly found she was a very sweet and special lady. Driven by her love for God and others, she consistently invested her life in others. She lived out her values, always encouraging her children, caring for her family, and becoming a foster mother to 21 children who needed a family. She and Bill regularly provided food and shelter to those in need. She opened her home to all peoples and cultures, her hospitality was unmatched, and she continually invited others to her home for meals and conversation.

A Visitation with the family will be held on the 25th of March from 6 to 8PM at the Gary Kaufman Funeral Home at Meadowridge Memorial Park. The Celebration of Life Funeral Service will be held at the First Baptist Church of Savage on the 26th of March at 12 noon following a final viewing at 11AM. Please come “Sing-Along with Jacky” at a memorial service at the First Baptist Church on the 18th of April at 6PM - bring your singing voice and favorite memories of this amazing lady. The First Baptist Church of Savage requests that those who attend the funeral service sit in social and family groups to enable effective social distancing within the facility. Masks should also be worn during the service. Thank you.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Bread of Life Food Pantry she founded. Please make checks out to First Baptist Church of Savage with Food Pantry in the memo line.