Obituary
Jacqueline “Jackie” Gay Beery, age 88, of South Daytona went home to be with the Lord on April 20, 2016. Her humble and kind spirit is carried on by her three children, six grandchildren, a surviving sister and an extended family of relatives and friends from every walk of life. Born Jacqueline Cranfield on December 2, 1927 in Winston Salem, NC, she became a lifelong Floridian when she moved to Miami after graduating high school, but was always “gone to Carolina” in her mind.
Jackie is now with her late husband; the love of her life and favorite whistling WWII veteran, John “Jack” D. Beery, and her beloved brother, Fred Cranfield. She worked at Southern Bell in Miami, FL where she met Jack and they married in 1948. Jackie and Jack will reunite for their 68th wedding anniversary this year.
She was a devoted daughter of the Lord Jesus Christ, a peach cobbler connoisseur and a lifelong fan of the Florida Gators. Jackie always gave the warmest welcome to everyone who crossed her path and entered her home. She could make even the hardest heart learn to love southern gospel music with the melodious of twangs.
For many years, she was a member of First Baptist Church of South Daytona where she taught the love of Christ to children in Sunday school and played the piano. More recently, she was a member of White Chapel Church of God in South Daytona.
Left behind to cherish her memory are her sister, Rebecca Higginbotham, two daughters, Amy Wadsworth (Dave) and Laurie Lafavor (Tim), and a son, David Beery (Melinda), as well as six grandchildren, Clint Wadsworth, Amanda Kelly (Chris), Kyle and Hannah Beery, and Chris and Aaron Roberts, all of which she wouldn’t miss a chance to brag about whenever she made a new acquaintance.
While those left behind might be muttering her famous words, “what’s your hurry?”, Jackie would like you to know that her work here is done. Jackie and her surviving loved ones hope that you would do an unsolicited and unexpected act of kindness in her memory, jig a little jig when James Taylor comes on the radio and ensure that you never let a guest leave your home empty-handed.
Friends, relatives and loved ones are invited to visit with the Beery family at 10 am, Saturday May 7 at Grace Episcopal Church, 4110 S. Ridgewood Avenue, Port Orange. Respects will be paid to the beautiful life lived by Jacqueline immediately following at 11 am. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Halifax Health Hospice.
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