Jackie McPheeters, 82, of Huntsville, passed away August 15, 2017. She was born in 1935 to Art and Kate Osseck and raised in St. Louis Missouri. As a young woman, Jackie was an accomplished dancer in the St. Louis area and often starred in major local, city and state productions. Jackie danced through life. She graduated from Cleveland High School and later Southeast Missouri State College with a Physical Education degree. While attending SE Missouri State College, Jackie met the love of her life, then 2nd LT Lee McPheeters, and they married in December 1956. Their complimentary relationship enabled them to live a life that was greater than the sum of the two of them. She supported and encouraged Lee throughout his 24-year military career. At many assignments, Jackie taught physical education from kindergarten to high school. Jackie was known for her ‘rose colored’ glasses and seeing the best in everyone and everything, her boundless empathy enabled her to reach many troubled students helping them overcome or cope with serious life challenges as a volunteer at Huntsville High School. Lee and Jackie enjoyed traveling the world together (mostly on the backroads – the roads less traveled). They always wondered what was around the next corner, looking forward to see new sights, learning new things, eating local foods and especially meeting new people – they never met a stranger.
Lee preceded Jackie in passing in August 2010. While she loved her family, she also looked forward to joining Lee in Eternity. Both Lee and Jackie lived life together to the absolute fullest (carpe diem). Since both felt they lived a full and productive lives, they did not fear dying – only losing their ability to live. When we think of mom, we will remember her ‘sitting on a cloud (preferably the front row)’ looking down and looking after her family.
Jackie McPheeters is survived by her brother, Art Osseck (Maureen) in Springfield, Ohio; her children, Scott McPheeters (Sherri), and Kathy Saccuzzo in Huntsville, and Steve McPheeters (Karen) in Birmingham; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday, August 26 at Laughlin Service Funeral Home. A Celebration of Life Service will follow in the chapel with the Rev. John Tanner officiating. Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery. (www.laughlinservice.com)
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to be made to Jackie’s favorite charity, St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
