Obituary of Jacqueline Elizabeth Catoe

Jackie's Journey...Part  1

Jacqueline Elizabeth Barnes Catoe was born on Friday, September 25, 1942, in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Her parents James and Iva Raiford Barnes moved from Goldsboro to Washington, D.C., with their daughter, who would be their only child, when she was three years old. She was therefore really a “Washingtonian.”

Jacqueline and Rodwell (Sonny) met in 1958, at a small “end of school year” social event attended by students from both their high schools. They were married on February 22, 1959, pretending that date would always be a national holiday celebrating their marriage instead of  the birthday of the first U.S. President, George Washington.

Jackie attended Washington, D.C., public schools, graduating from Cardozo High Night School in 1960, after attending Dunbar High for two years. In 1964, she started her professional work career in a clerical position in the District of Columbia Government, Department of General Services, Office of Buildings and Grounds. She later worked for a short time in the Federal Government, Treasury Department in personnel services.

Jackie was from her beginning a “Crown Princess.” When she became a wife, a mother of three sons and an aunt of five nephews, she then became the “Queen” of the Catoe household. She was loved, respected and admired by so many within and outside of  her immediate family, on the job and in the community. She embraced so many with her winsome smile and her genuine kindness.

Jackie and other lovely ladies formed a simply organized, simply purposed social group which for many years provided for them and others who would later join, an opportunity to dine together, travel together, shop together and otherwise fellowship as a break from their work routines as they continued to raise their families. The group was originally named, “Simply Black,” and later became “The Jewels.”

She returned to the District of Columbia Government, Department of Human Services where she was employed until 1991, retiring as a Supervisory Personnel Staffing Specialist. She took an optional “early out,” declaring that her employment interfered with the time that she wanted to spend with her family and friends or just otherwise relax.  

Back in the day, Jackie was affectionately nicknamed “Foxy Brown” and “Countess” by some who saw in her an unassuming attractiveness, a modest nobility and real class. On at least two occasions while traveling out of town with her husband, she was mistaken for the singer and actress, Tina Turner.

She was an active and faithful member of the Mount Olivet Lutheran Church where she maintained her membership from the time of her Confirmation there at age 12. Throughout her life, John 3:16 was her favorite bible text. Jackie spoke it from the heart!
 
Much of her time  in recent years was spent handling her responsibilities as a member of the Outreach Committee of  her church. Her love for Jesus was manifested in the way she treated others and in the love she had for those at Mount Olivet, Breath of Life and at Dupont Park SDA Church, where her son Michael is a deacon.
                                                                                                                                                      
With her death Jackie leaves to grieve, as they wait in the sincere hope of the first  resurrection when our Savior returns, her husband of 63 years, Rodwell and their three sons; Marlon (Dalila), Darren (his stepchildren, Sterling and Shai-Maya and their families) and Michael (Kristal).

Jackie also leaves her sister-in-law Patricia Catoe Marshall; her nephews: Renaldo, Ricardo, Anthony, Michael and Taurus and their families; and her nieces: Maronda, Sabrinna, Andrea, Shawn and Michelle and their families, along with many cousins whom she loved dearly.

She also leaves a special circle of friends and relatives whom she held close to her heart and regularly chatted with by phone, namely . . . oh well, you know who you are!

                Jackie's Journey...Part  2, soon to come. MARANATHA!