Jacqueline Fishman

Jackie (Jacqueline Marie) Fishman passed away on January 30, 2022, with her husband and daughter at her side.

Jackie was born on November 14, 1944 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. An only child, she grew up with her loving parents, Verda and Marvin Johnson, and was loved and nurtured by grandparents, many aunts, uncles, and cousins. She graduated from Osseo High School in 1962 and then attended the Patricia Stevens School in Milwaukee and Luther College in Iowa.

She moved to northern Virginia and then to St. Louis, where she met and married Jeff (Jeffrey M. Fishman) and then got the gift of their daughter, Julie. The three moved to the Atlanta area. Jeff and Jackie lived there until 6 years ago, when they moved to Gainesville, Virginia to be nearer to their daughter, Julie Rayman, her husband Ariel, and their two children, Jonas (6) and Hannah (4). Jackie often said she was blessed to not only have the best grandchildren on Earth, but also to be able to spend lots of quality time with them. She coveted their family outings and vacations.

Jackie was the consummate “people person.” Professionally, her desire to make the lives she touched better and her natural ability to effectively and respectfully lead people guided her into event planning and management. She worked for several years as a hotel concierge and later ran special programs and annual designer home shows. She also had a strong entrepreneurial streak, and regularly sought out ways to leverage her talent in interior design.

As a giving and generous soul, for decades, Jackie participated in and supported many charitable organizations and philanthropic groups with a dedication and enthusiasm recognized and respected by all those she touched.

In her personal life, she gave her all to her friends and family, treasuring each of them with genuine love, care and grace. If you were Jackie’s friend, you had a friend for life. If you were family, you were loved unconditionally. Her refrain was, “everyone is responsible for their own happiness,” but she acted in a way that made everyone around her happier.

Losing Jackie is a terrible loss and she will be missed by many. In accordance with her wishes, a celebration of Jackie’s life will be held for her friends and family a year after her passing.