Obituary of Jacqueline Hope Rodgers Berry

Jacqueline Hope Rodgers Berry October 17, 1931 - November 07, 2017 Jacqueline Hope Townsend Rodgers Berry was born October 17, 1931, in a farm house near the small eastern New Mexico community of Arch, the third of eight children. Jackye spent her early years on the farm and started school at Arch at the age of four which began a lifetime passion for education and learning. When Jackye was 10 the family moved into Portales where at age sixteen, she graduated at the top of her 1948 Portales High School class and earned a scholarship to Draughon's Business College in Lubbock. Her first job was in the business office of the Cattle Commission in Clovis, followed by a move to the Mountain States Telephone Co., also in Clovis. While working at the telephone company, one of Jackye’s coworkers introduced her to a young man from Clovis, Eugene “Gene” Carver Rodgers, who was home on leave from his service with the United States Coast Guard. While Gene was stationed in the Hawaiian Islands the couple was married in 1953 in the Kilauea Christ Church in Kauai. Following Gene's discharge from the service, Jackye returned to work at the telephone company while Gene finished his business degree at ENMU. Gene's career in banking and financial services took them to three places in NM: Clovis, where they added their first child, Randol; Alamogordo, where their second child, Cynthia was born; and finally, to Lovington which became the place they called home. While in Lovington, Jackye returned to school at the newly opened New Mexico Junior College. After completing her studies at NMJC, she continued on to the College of the Southwest, graduating once again valedictorian, summa cum laude in elementary education. After graduation, Jackye began a 23 year career with Lovington Public Schools, teaching at Jefferson and Ben Alexander Elementary schools and was honored as Teacher of the Year for 1992-1993. She loved teaching and felt it was not only her obligation to teach the “three R’s,” but also to teach her students, by word and by example, life lessons about work ethic, honesty and personal responsibility, and treating others with kindness and respect. In her later years, some of her happiest moments were hearing from former students about the positive difference she had made in their lives. Jackye and Gene lived a full live in Lovington where they loved entertaining, participating in community service, and following their children's many activities. However, on June 2, 1996, Jackye lost her first love, Gene. It highly impacted her life. Once again, however, love returned to her life. In January 1999, Jackye and Dan Berry of Eunice, NM, both of whom had lost their mates, discovered a chance to have yet another marriage of love. Jackye and Dan loved the same things; they traveled many places and shared laughter, friends, and good times and she always said one of the best parts of marrying Dan was the new family she inherited. Dan’s sons and daughters-in-law Danny and Libby, and Philip and Aetna Bess, along with their children, embraced Jackye and made her feel a welcomed part of the family. However, October 20, 2009, Jackye once again lost her love, Dan. Using her deep roots of self-sufficiency with no complaint about circumstances, she carved out a new life with friends in Lubbock at Raider Ranch Village, and two years later moved to Houston to be near her children and doctors. Jackye moved into the Village of Tanglewood active retirement community and made many new friends, enjoying her time there. She especially loved having her daughter Cindy with her on a daily basis. There were many special moments for Jackye in Houston with Cindy and her partner Sergio Montes de Oca and Randol and his fiancée Ellie Malavis, including dinners, holiday parties at the Village and trips to Wimberley and Ruidoso. Jackye's family and many friends gathered near her because of "the way she makes them feel," plain and simple. When Jackye was at home on November 7, 2017 surrounded by loved ones, she departed this earthly life for the loving arms of her Lord and Savior. Although she will be greatly missed, Jackye’s legacy will live on through the lessons she imparted to her children and students, the joyful memories of good times with family and friends, and the example she set for all those who came in contact with her. She was preceded in death by parents Richard and Margie Townsend; husbands Eugene Rodgers and Daniel Berry; step grandson Shaun Berry and step great-grandson Luke Hilton; and brothers Capps “Buddy” Townsend, Richard Townsend and Mickey Bob Townsend. She is survived by children Randol Rodgers and fiancée Ellie Malavis, Cynthia Rodgers and partner Sergio Montes de Oca; granddaughter Kelsey Vines; stepsons Danny Berry and wife Libby, Philip Berry and wife Aetna Bess; step grandchildren Jessica Hilton and husband Jeff, LaRae Johnson and husband George, Amanda Olson and husband Kenny; and step great-grandchildren Hannah Hilton and Dillon Hilton; brothers; Henry and wife Pat Townsend and Gayland and wife Patti Townsend; sisters, Joy Gardner and Faith Bradley, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. A memorial service for Jackye will be held Monday afternoon, November 20th at 2:00 at the First United Methodist Church, 407 N Main St, Lovington. Arrangements are under the direction of Kirby-Smith-Rogers Funeral Home. To honor Jackye’s support of education, donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Shaun Berry Memorial Scholarship Foundation, P.O Box 130, Eunice, NM 88231.