Jacqueline Marie Quadow Russler

She is survived by her four daughters: Nicole, of Knoxville, TN, Gwynneth, of Laurel, MD, Libby Anne, of Falls Church, VA, and Faith, of Atlanta, GA; grandsons William Tunney and Isaac Saiger, and sons-in-law Brian J. Tunney and Jonathan S. Saiger.

Jacqueline was born November 7, 1921 in Chicago, the only child of Sarah Shafer and Nathan Leonard Quadow. She was very proud to have received an excellent education at Francis W. Parker High School, Class of 1938, and maintained lifetime ties with fellow alumni. At age 16, she was admitted to Swarthmore College and graduated in 1942 with highest honors in history. She proudly served as Class Agent and went on to raise funds over several decades to support Swarthmore. In 2012, she attended her 70th Class Reunion.

Her early professional life encompassed many areas: hired by the Works Progress Administration, she interviewed university faculty wives across the Northeast to support work that would improve their working conditions, and proudly met Eleanor Roosevelt in a NYC elevator. Employed by the U.S. Army Signal Corps, she created documentary films of combat photography during WWII. Some of her work was later declassified and published in Armed with Cameras, 1986. After moving to San Bernardino in 1950, she went to U. C. Riverside for a Masters in Education, teaching Language Arts and Social Studies in area junior high schools as well as acting as an inspiring educator at Congregation Emanu El, in San Bernardino. She served as president of Sisterhood of Congregation Emanu El, writing parodies, year after year, with her amazing wit, humor and energy.

After establishing the William Russler Memorial Archives at Congregation Emanu El, she surprised all four daughters, and ventured back across the country, starting a new life in Washington DC. A lifelong Democrat, she was always very active in political circles and maintained numerous memberships including the American Association of University Women, National Women’s Democratic Club, and the League of Women Voters. Jacqui supported many causes, especially backing a clean environment, with her active devotion to the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Institute, and as a staff member in the Congressional offices of James Scheuer, D-NY, working on matters before the House Space, Science and Technology Committee. Jacqui was devoted to family, was amazingly well read, wrote poetry, loved classical music, international travel, and the theatre. She headed the synagogue archives committee at Temple Sinai in Washington DC, and was very proud to have studied to become a Bat Mitzvah at the age of 82.

In addition to her loving family, she maintained cherished friendships from coast to coast. All will miss her dearly. Memorial Service in Washington, DC on Sunday, December 27, 1:00PM, Temple Sinai, Military Road NW.

Funeral services in San Bernardino on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 at Mountain View Mortuary, Waterman and Highland Avenues at 1:00 PM, Interment at Home of Eternity Cemetery San Bernardino, California, followed by

Reception to honor Jacqueline Q. Russler at Congregation Emanu El, Ford Street, Redlands, California.

Contributions in her memory to the William Russler Memorial Archives at Congregation Emanu El, synagogue archives at Temple Sinai, or the Southern Poverty Law Center.