Jacklyn "Jacki" Hoggan Goodfellow's Obituary
Descendent from a pioneer grandmother who joined the Church as a young woman in Sweden, and a red-bearded Scotsman from Dunfermline, Jacklyn Hoggan was born August 20, 1929, in Salt Lake City. She arrived about 7 months after the death of her father, John Andrew (Jack) Hoggan, who had been accidentally electrocuted on the job while working a railway switch.
During her preschool years, she and her older sister, Zelda, lived with their mother, Edith Clara Putnam, in various apartments near the Salt Lake Knitting Works, where Edith was employed as a sewing machine operator.
While their mother was at work, Jacklyn (Jackie) and Zelda were placed in the care of the local Neighborhood House. When they were old enough to attend the Lafayette Elementary School, the time spent at the Neighborhood House was reduced to after-school hours. For convenience, Jackie was allowed to attend a double session of kindergarten at Lafayette (both morning and afternoon), with one stipulation--that she never raise her hand to answer a question because she'd already heard the lesson once before. (She practiced being the quiet, but knowledgeable student, for the rest of her life).
During her years of elementary education, much time was spent with extended family, and Jackie grew to love her aunts, uncles, and grandparents. She recalled, with fondness, how they cared for her, just as if she was one of their own children. From them she learned that her "Daddy Jack" was in heaven, he knew everything she did, and that someday they would be a family. Jackie always looked forward to that reunion in heaven and hoped she wouldn't be a disappointment to him.
For nine months each year Jackie was a "city girl," but during the summers she learned about farm life and hard work while living with her Aunt Rose and Uncle Melvin Putnam on their farm in Woodruff, UT. Among several teasing boy cousins, she learned to drive teams of horses and separate milk. This hard-working family was also an example to her of faithful prayer and obedience.
Jackie was eleven when her mother finally remarried and the family moved to South Salt Lake. Her stepfather, Faye Bailess, took over, but found it hard to cope with two pre-teen girls. Any bickering really upset him, and he would assign Jackie and Zelda chores on his farm to keep them apart. She gathered eggs, cleaned them, and prepared them for sale. Since they were expected to buy their own clothes, they learned to work and be responsible. There in South Salt Lake, Jackie finished 5th and 6th grade at Blaine Elementary, went to Junior High, and graduated from Granite High School.
Faye brought a new step-brother, Bill, into Jackie's life. He was already married. He and his wife, Margaret, often invited the family to dinner on Sundays. Jackie remembered hearing of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor while doing the dishes after the Sunday meal at Bill's house.
Not long after that, Jackie's mother and step-father had two sons, Laurence (Larry) and Glen (who was affectionately called Skip). Now Jackie was part of a large family, and no longer in the role of youngest child--not hard to accept, because she was almost a grown-up herself.
Jackie's first job, away from home, was as a desk and mail clerk at the New House Hotel, in Salt Lake City, where she worked for her Uncle Al Schilling, who managed the hotel. Jackie attended the University of Utah during the day, and worked at the hotel in the evenings. When Uncle Al and his wife, Merlyn (Myn) had their first child, Albert (always called Bert), they invited Jackie to live with them on Herbert Ave and assist with the baby and the housework. In return for her help, they paid her tuition, making it possible for her to continue attending the University of Utah.
At the "U," in an accounting class, Jackie met Paul Goodfellow. When the teacher noticed that Paul was showing an interest, he counseled him to not let her get away. Paul realized she was brilliant when she handed in a perfect final exam 15 minutes before anyone else had finished. Her beauty and lady-like manners also drew his attention. After a wonderful courtship, they were married on June 14, 1950--one month after Paul's graduation.
Paul was hired to work for the University of Utah Extention Division as an accountant. Jackie worked as a bookkeeper in a shoe store. A baby daughter was born in 1951. In 1954, the little family moved to Los Alamos, NM, were Paul became Business Manager for the schools and Jackie was hired as an elementary school teacher. Los Alamos would be their home for the next 40 years.
In August, 1954, Jackie completed all her graduation requirements and received a Bachelor of Science Degree, with high honors, from the University of Utah.
Los Alamos was the location of several national laboratories and known for one of the finest school systems in the nation. Jackie and Paul were both devoted school district employees and recognized in the community for their sound wisdom and good financial management. A year after arriving, they helped to organize the Los Alamos Schools Credit Union, and Jackie became its first treasurer--an unpaid position. However, the credit union grew rapidly, and soon she was able to turn her bookkeeping duties over to a hired staffer. After that, Jackie continued to serve on its Board of Directors.
Even with all this going on, family always came first for Jackie and Paul. A couple of years after moving to Los Alamos, a son (Paul Mark) was born. For a time the infant was precariously ill. Paul and Jackie began to think more deeply about faith and family. They resolved to prepare themselves to become worthy to enter the temple. In 1959, the family was sealed in the Salt Lake Temple. Jackie was pregnant, and in 1960, their last child, another baby boy (Douglas Jesse) was born.
Just after Douglas's birth, Jackie was asked to become the librarian at Mountain School in Los Alamos. This was her "dream job." She armed herself with formal library training from Oklahoma State University, and went to work. With help from a small army of parent volunteers, she soon created a model school library, complete with a vast array of reading and research material. She also sponsored many extra-curricular activities.
At the height of her involvement with library work, Jackie was called to serve as ward Relief Society President. This she did with humility, confessing that she felt unsure as to how to proceed, how to lead, and how to serve her fellow sisters who were spread throughout the city. Day-by-day, for years, she served and learned to rely on subtle spiritual promptings.
Her leadership skills began to be recognized in the community, and Jackie was asked to run for county council, but, she entered the race too late to win the election. The experience gave her insight regarding county politics.
Just after sending the oldest daughter, Gayle, to BYU, Jackie's husband, Paul, was called to be Bishop of the Los Alamos Ward. He served for 5 years, and then was called as a counselor in the newly formed Santa Fe Stake. A couple of years later, Paul was called as the Stake President. Jackie traveled with him on assignments to wards and branches throughout northern New Mexico. Both sons, Mark and Doug, finished high school, and attended BYU while their father was deeply involved in this Church service. They have many fond memories of overnight camping trips in the nearby mountains. Jackie would outfit the trailer and prepare food, and Paul would gather the fishing tackle plan the destination. The family's favorite place was a small, aspen lined lake called Conjilon. Eventually, all the children, married, moved away, and began raising families of their own--all in the strength of the Gospel, following the great example of their loving parents.
With children gone and newly emptied bedrooms, Jackie and Paul found a place for a young immigrant woman from Sierra Leone, Africa. Sokona Kamara was sponsored by a family in the ward, but she arrived in New Mexico before the family's home was completed. They did not have room yet for Sokona, so they asked if Paul and Jackie could take her in until the construction was finished. Sokona lived with Paul and Jackie for about a year, just as if she was one of their own children.
Paul (still Stake President) and Jackie stayed in Los Alamos for a while longer. She continued to employ the same housekeeper that she had hired many years earlier, even though the woman was arthritic and had gone legally blind. Jackie realized how important Social Security would be to this dear widow and vowed to continue contributing to her wages and benefits until Mrs. Martinez could retire, assured of the financial support she would need.
She and Paul also carefully watched over a widowed lady who lived in an apartment across the street. Nell Klemm had no living relatives, and they cared for her until her death, just as if she was their own mother.
They loved northern New Mexico, with its high, forested mountains and small adobe towns. They loved the people. During the 40 years that they had been in Los Alamos, the Church grew from a small branch in the Western States Mission into two large wards in the Santa Fe Stake.
Jackie and Paul always had the spirit of missionary work in their hearts. After ten years of service as a Stake President, and finally retiring, they sold their home in Los Alamos and served a mission in London England South. When finished, they built a house in Alpine, Utah. Not long after the home was finished, Paul and Jacklyn left again to serve a second mission in Knoxville, Tennessee. In both missions, they worked in the mission office during the daytime, and spent evenings finding less-active members, teaching, testifying, and inviting them back to the gospel fold.
The two sons served missions, and each male grandson of mission age has served, as well. A granddaughter was released after finishing her mission on the very day that Jacklyn passed away. Paul and Jackie truly began a legacy of missionary work.
Never idle, even in her old age, Jackie spent innumerable hours doing indexing for Family Search. She completed over 10,000 records. She and Paul attended the temple every week for many years. They faithfully kept a record of their life in the form of a journal and a weekly a letter to loved ones. Their days always began with scripture study and prayer and ended with journal writing and kneeling prayer. In all things, they were faithful and obedient. The record they leave us is not only a history, but a testimony of their faith.
Their sons followed Paul's example and served in stake leadership positions--Doug in Virginia and Mark in Holiday, Utah. Gayle and her husband Frank Guercio, have recently returned to Ephraim after completing a mission in Micronesia Guam.
As the devastation of Alzheimer's Disease began to disable Jackie both mentally and physically, Paul devoted himself to her care. His tender example of enduring love and service touched the lives of many who watched her decline. Her death came too soon for him, but was a blessing for her. Paul feels the numbness of his loss. It's hard to believe that she has passed. Though his beloved Jackie is no longer physically alive, she will always with him in heart and mind. Everything he sees and does is colored by their love and experience together. Sixty-five years of marriage on earth and the sealing promise of unending life together in the hereafter has cemented them as one.
Caring for Jackie gradually became very difficult, but Paul was never alone in this, even when his own children were away, he was always supported by devoted neighbors, home and visiting teachers, home care assistants, and loving hospice workers. Ward members donated delicious meals and helped with yard work.
As children, we worried about being so far away from Alpine and our inability to be present when needed. We feel deep gratitude for the mountain of support and unending service that so many have given to our parents. We are truly blessed by the unselfish love of these great people. They have been there for Paul and Jackie, when we could not. We humbly stand in awe of such charity.
We will miss Jackie, but her passing is a blessing. She is in a state of clear mind now, in a place free from pain and suffering, and finally able to meet the father that she never knew on earth. We know that we, too, will eventually be with them as a complete family. We look forward to that reunion.
Funeral services will be held at 11 AM, Wednesday, March 23, 2016 at Village Way LDS Chapel, 901 E Village Way, Alpine, Utah, with a viewing one hour prior. Interment, Alpine City Cemetery
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