Jacqueline Spalten

In the late hours of January 13th, Jacqueline Spalten, surrounded by those who loved her most, departed this world and went home to her Lord and Savior. Her loss is felt not only as the loss of a wife and a mother, or a grandmother and great-grandmother, but the loss of a matriarch, the steward of a family and that is how she will be remembered.

Jacqueline Barbara Jacobson was born May 29, 1934, in Fort Worth, Texas to parents Audrey Sparks and Jacob “Jake” Jacobson. She had one sister, Marion Jacobson Callaghan. The family moved to Houston and Jackie attended San Jacinto High School where she was elected football queen and senior May Fete duchess.

She met her forever love, Robert George Spalten, at a picnic in Bandera, Texas and they married November 27, 1954. They had four beloved children: Robert, Jr. (Carla), Steve, Jill Krueger (Dr. Wes) and John (Moira) and ten grandchildren: Robert III “Trece” (Wes), Katie West Orem (Chris), Tito West (Johanna), Luke West (Anna), Tina Spalten (Katie), Courtney Hunt (Lane), Johnny West, Megan Spalten, Jack Spalten (Carlisle) and Colin Spalten. She was also blessed with ten great-grandchildren: Charlie, Harry, George, West and Alexandra Orem, Presley Saucier, Emerson and Finley West, Tess O’Neil and Winnie West.

Jackie weathered the last 13 months of pain and heartache, in her battle with pancreatic cancer, with the same grace and elegance with which she lived her life. We are deeply saddened by her loss, but are forever grateful for having been blessed with her presence. Jackie and Bob recently celebrated 68 years of marriage and this union and the family that resulted from it are the true measure of her legacy. However, the depth of her love and grace was not limited to those related by blood. Jackie and Bob counted among their circle, Juana Quiriño and her daughter Sonía. Juana stood by Jackie’s side for 40 years, right up until the end.

There will be a memorial mass held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, January 20, 2023, at St. Anthony de Padua Catholic Church, located at 102 Lorenz Rd in San Antonio.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations please be made in Jackie Spalten’s name to the St. Labre Indian School, 112 St. Labre Campus Drive, Ashland, Montana 59003, or the Charity Ball Association of San Antonio, PO Box 6708, San Antonio, Texas 78209.