Jacqueline "Jackie" Van Duzee

Van Duzee

Jacqueline Suzann “Jackie”

Age 71, of St. Paul

Jacqueline Susann Van Duzee took her last breath here on earth on Saturday, July 3, 2021 at 8:40 a.m.

At 8:41, Jackie was singing and praising with our Savior, and running and dancing with our loved ones who’ve passed on before.

Jackie is a true and honest example of “perseverance.”  She once said that because her physical disability limited her activity, she made it her mission to learn as much as she could so her mind was strong. She filled her young head full of knowledge and taught herself to sketch and paint to become the best artist she could be. And she did it all in spades, mastering gardening, football calls and the Bible, and teaching herself all mediums of paint, sketch, photography, calligraphy and the craft of mixed media.

Speaking of being crafty, those who played any board or card game with Jackie knows very well her wily ways to win at all costs. Albeit, she could pretty much beat anyone at Scrabble, Monopoly or Old Maid (unless Izzy was playing) or just about any other game you dared to play with her.

During grade school and junior high, her only friends were her family and the neighbor kids, many of whom adored her. In high school band, Jackie finally made a few school friends. Being a huge fan of Karen Carpenter, Jackie became a drummer in the marching band and influenced both of her younger sisters to follow her footsteps. She just made everything look like fun to us.

After high school, Jackie went on to study graphic arts and art direction, further honing her skills and talent while making lifelong friends. She got her first job at a printmaker in downtown St. Paul. The building the company was housed in had only a freight entrance with huge cement steps and no handrail. Mom and her youngest sister watched nervously as Jackie desperately and stubbornly climbed up the steps on her own, wanting no help from us. She usually made it. But it was at this company where Jackie had the good fortune to meet her best friend and eventual caregiver, Anne Hartsock (nee Froehle). Our family will be forever grateful to the Hartsock’s, especially for Anne and Andrew’s loving care of our dear sister.

Jackie loved teaching kids and beginning at the young age of 10, she planted the love for art into the young mind of her baby sister, age 3, by teaching her how to draw caricatures, and though the results were scribbles, her sister would also forge a path of artist and writer. Years later, Jackie continued to teach art to young minds when she freely gave art classes to all of the homeschooled children from her neighborhood and church.

Jackie had a myriad of interests and hobbies, and it was rare that she came upon a barrier … we may have thought it a barrier, but not her; there always was a way around it. The only obstacles in her path were sympathetic or negative views of her disability – she was never a victim. For potlucks or holiday dinners, Jackie was asked to bring the dinner rolls or Jello to pass, many of us never allowing her to shine by using her culinary talents. She never complained. Worse are the negative views of disability she met while out and about. Once, while shopping for clothes, Rocky was pushing Jackie in her manual chair. At the register, Jackie put her items on the counter and pulled out her billfold. The sales clerk refused to talk to or look at Jackie, until she was forced to when Rocky pointed to Jack, and said, “She’s got the money, Honey,” and walked away.

Marty recalls while helping Dad side our house, they were standing on scaffolding at the second story, when 10-year-old Jackie crawled out a window and climbed onto a scaffolding board. Marty, worried about her falling, told her to get back in the house and Dad just said, “Leave her alone.” She happily watched them work and no doubt let them know if they missed a spot or were off a titch.

Gwen remembers when Jackie decided they were going to do a drum duet at the Minnesota State High School League music contest. Jackie, a senior, played the huge bass drum and Gwen, a sophomore, played snare drum. Jackie had to stick both sides of the drum with her mallets and because her body curved opposite of the drum, she had to somehow balance herself while playing so she wouldn’t fall backwards. She was unable to see the music so she memorized the entire number. The duo received the highest score of a star rating for both regional and state!

From Jackie, we all learned the meaning of grace. It was with grace that Jackie survived torturous classmates teasing and bullying her throughout her school years. It was with grace that Jackie came to love Christ. And towards the end of her beautiful life, it was with grace that Jackie suffered through horrible pain from infections resulting from a hospital stay, and it was grace that let her lay down to eternal rest.

Preceded in death by parents, Martin and Jeanne; sister, Isabelle; brother-in-law, Ron Moore; dachhunds, Ebony and Ivy. Survived by siblings, Martin (Karen), Gwen Moore, and Roxanne (William) Furlong; niece, Jill Pham; extended family, Gene, Anne, and their sons, Andrew and Robert (Nancy) Hartsock. Memorial Service Friday, July 16, 4:00 P.M. at TWIN CITIES BIBLE CHURCH, 2555 Hazelwood St., St Paul. Visitation one hour prior. Private family interment Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Memorials preferred to Twin City Bible Church.