Jacqueline Lee Van Essendelft Obituary (1943

Jacqueline Lee Van Essendelft, 78, wife of Richard C. Van Essendelft, of Beaufort, SC, died Monday, May 31, 2021 at her residence. Graveside funeral services will be held on Wednesday, June 9, 2021 at 2:00pm at Beaufort National Cemetery. Mrs. Van Essendelft was born on January 19,1943, in the District of Columbia, to John Hughes and Viola Pugh Hughes. Jackie grew up on a small dairy farm in the mountains of West Virginia. Her favorite pastime was to take her dog on long walks and to climb a certain sycamore tree where she would read her books all day long. At the tender age of 13 her father passed away and she moved with her mother to the small town of Shepherdstown, West Virginia. It was after her first year at Shepherdstown College that she met her future husband and the love of her life. Looking back, they both believed this was a meeting orchestrated by the hand of God. They married in 1963, eventually moving back to Dick's hometown on Long Island, NY, where they raised two daughters and many cats and dogs. In 1998, they retired to Beaufort, SC, falling in love with this quaint small town. They have lived here ever since. Jackie remained a tom-girl most of her life, loving boating,fishing and taking long walks with her husband. Everything Dick and Jackie did, they did together. The turning point, though, in Jackie's life was in 1977 when she prayed with a tv evangelist to be saved and set free, becoming a Born Again Christian. She led all her family to Christ within that same year. Jackie's love for Christ overshadowed every part of her life. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 3:3, "we are epistles of Christ, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the Living God". If Jackie's life were a book one could read, you would see Jesus at every turn of the page. The light of Christ shined brightly through her everywhere she went. Jackie and Dick lived a quiet and peaceful life, married 58 years, devoted to God and their family until she went to her eternal home with Christ. She was greatly loved by all who knew her and will be dearly missed. Our joy is knowing she is now with her Lord and Savior and we have the assurance we will see her again because of our faith in Jesus Christ. Surviving in addition to her husband, Richard, are two daughters, Jill(Eric) Waikel and Jodi Packard; seven grandchildren, in age order, Christopher Pierce, Michael (Ritchelle) Pierce, Noah (Karaghan)Waikel, Jackson Packard, Gracie Packard, Joshua Packard, Katie Packard and four great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to Alzheimer's Association.