Jaclyn Jean Downing Greeley
Jaclyn Jean Downing Greeley
Jaclyn Jean Downing
Greeley was a feisty and stubborn woman with nine lives. At least. She came
close to leaving this earth a few times, but couldn’t do it without a proper,
final party. She spent her last days hosting nearly 40 friends and family
members in the hospital ICU, with no regard for the two visitor rule.
Mani-pedis, honey-walnut shrimp, and Black Velvet and Coke only added to the
loving and sorrowful goodbyes. Jackie said, “This has been the best day. This
was a very good day.” On January 12th, 2018, just after noon, Jackie passed
away at St. Alphonsus in Boise, Idaho.
Jaclyn Jean was born in
Moscow, Idaho on June 9, 1948 to Joseph “Cal” Downing and his bride, Margaret
Morgan. As a young forestry student, Cal and his family spent that summer living
in a lookout, where Jackie slept in a suitcase. That was the beginning of an
adventurous childhood. When Jackie was seven, she got a baby sister, Mary
Elizabeth and two years later, another sister, Kathy Ann. Jackie remembered
bottle feeding a pet fawn in Pine, Idaho and playing in the barn in Manti,
Utah, where she taught her sister, Mary at a very young age to swing down off
the hayloft on a rope swing. Jackie fondly recalled summer trips to visit the
grandmas in
Sunnyside, Washington
and Libby, Montana.
Jackie went to Boise
High, then graduated with the first Senior class at Capital High School in
1966. That same week, Jackie married Jesse W Smith
Jr. (Bill) of Boise and turned 18. This marriage
produced two sons, Jesse William and James Joseph. Jackie and Bill moved to
Seattle where he worked for Boeing Aircraft. Within a year, Bill had been
drafted into the Army. Jackie returned to Boise while Bill was
deployed. Upon his return they moved to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, back to
Seattle, and finally settled in Boise. They were divorced in 1974.
In 1979, Jackie married
Douglas Greeley of St. Paul, Minnesota. She inherited three step-children,
Tony, Tina, and Nancy who stayed in Minnesota, but held a place in Jackie’s
heart for the next 39 years. Jackie and Doug had two girls, Rebekah Elizabeth
and Sarah Emily. They lived in Boise and were divorced in 2009.
Jackie worked at Idaho
Health and Welfare, managed the downtown Raintree Deli, and sold shoes at the
former Quisenberry's before retiring to be a stay-at-home mom and help run
D&J Trucking Co. with Doug.
When she wasn’t taxiing
kids to and from sports and music, Jackie enjoyed playing bridge, taking road
trips, doing puzzles, reading romance novels, and researching family genealogy.
She loved happy hour, Boise State football, and live music. Above all this,
Jackie’s passion was for people. She lived for monthly family dinners, large
holiday celebrations, and daily visits with friends and family. She took eager
interest in the lives of those around her and that interest didn’t fade when
distance or time separated. Jackie was always rooting for you. She also had a
love for maintaining her family’s history and a remarkable memory of that
history. Jackie made friends wherever she went, including Friendship Manor in
Caldwell, Brookdale in Boise, and playing games online.
Many people were lucky
enough to know Jackie’s love, wit, and obstinate ways over the years. She is
survived by her son, Jesse (Heather) Smith of Middleton, ID; son, James
(Annesa) Smith of Middleton, ID; daughter, Rebekah Omas of Boise, ID; daughter,
Sarah (Jamie) Greeley of Nampa, ID; sister Mary (Rod) Zimmerman of Eagle, ID;
sister Kathy (Arlen) Gilmore of New Meadows, ID; grandchildren, Tyler,
Abbagael, Olivia, Colton, Noah, Calvin, Ava; step-children, Tina (Fred) Carey
of North Branch, MN; Nancy (Troy) Lestrud of New Richmond, WI; Kate Smith of
Nampa, ID; step-grandchildren, Andy, Samantha, Nick, Ted, Kaley, Jenna, Ryan,
Trystin; nieces and nephews, Jeremy (Minerva) Zimmerman, Joshua (Wren) Nicks,
Ryan (Patsy) Zimmerman, Mary (Jeff) Luff, Kara (Jim) McElya; and numerous
friends.
Jackie was preceded in
death by her mother, Margaret Morgan Downing, and her father, Joseph “Cal”
Downing. We take comfort in knowing they are all together again.
A graveside service will
take place at Dry Creek Cemetery on June 8th at 1:00. A celebration of Jackie’s
life will be at Sunset Park in Boise, Idaho on her 70th birthday, Saturday June
9th. More details will be on Jackie’s Facebook page.
In lieu of flowers,
consider a donation to the Jackie Greeley Memorial at the Women’s and
Children’s Alliance at
wcaboise.org
or 720 W Washington St.
Boise, ID 83702
Jackie was able to
donate her corneas to the Idaho Lions Eye Bank and help two people regain their
sight.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Jaclyn Jean Downing Greeley, please visit our flower store.
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