Friday, July 26, 2024
Jacqueline G. (Jackie) Parrett passed away peacefully from natural causes on May 1, 2024. A longtime resident of Edmonds since 1970, Jackie had been living independently in her home in Edmonds until July 2023 when she moved into the Cogir of Edmonds assisted living community due to health and mobility issues.
Jackie Parrett was born on September 6, 1929, in Los Angeles, to Alfred and Jacqueline (Oberhand) Zuniga and was the oldest of three sisters – Geraldine (Jerry), Gloria and Barbara. Her parents and sisters all preceded her in death.
Her father was of Spanish descent and her mother was born in Lublin, Poland, and immigrated to the United States with her brother Tony as a child. The family lived an adventuresome life in L.A., with her father being an accomplished welder and jack-of-all-trades in the construction business and her mother buying and selling homes. For several years, the family owned and operated a chicken farm in Hawthorne, California, with all the kids pitching in to care for the chickens and sell eggs.
Jackie met her future husband, Howard, when he was on home from leave from the Air Force, visiting his parents who happened to live next door to her parents. After they married, they began a 23-year adventure as an Air Force family, with their daughter Denise born in 1953 in Wiesbaden, Germany, and their son Larry born in 1955 in Dayton, Ohio. The family eventually lived in Germany, Ohio, California, Alaska, Libya, Texas, and Nebraska before finally settling down in Edmonds in 1970.
Jackie and Howard divorced in 1975, but she remained in the home they built in Edmonds until 2023. Over the past 45 years, Jackie was active in photography, computer, and book clubs, traveling around the country with friends for photography trips and workshops. She loved to dance and garden, and had a very active life hiking, snow-shoeing, and bicycling.
She attended UCLA for two years, developed a career as an executive secretary, worked for the Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations, and worked for the City of Edmonds for 16 years, retiring as the City Clerk of Edmonds in 1991.
Jackie is survived by her daughter Denise; son Larry and his partner Theresa Neal; granddaughter Sara and her husband, Grant Cravens; grandson Chase Parrett; and grandson Reese and his wife, Alli Parrett; along with numerous nephews and nieces in Washington, California, Nevada, and Texas.
A memorial service will be held on June 13 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Edmonds Yacht Club on Admiral Way. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Edmonds Food Bank.
Please share memories at www.beckstributecenter.com.
