Jackie Jocye Thoede DeFord's Obituary
DeFord, Jackie Joyce Thoede, was born on March 19, 1931 in Pottsboro, Texas and passed away August 17, 2014 in Dallas, Texas. She was raised in Whitesboro, Texas and graduated from North Dallas High School. Jackie was a long term resident of Dallas, and a member of Walnut Hill United Methodist Church. She was a very kind compassionate person with a very large and generous heart. She touched the lives of many and her legacy lives on. Jackie graduated with her RN from the Methodist hospital, and met her future husband while working there in 1953. They were married the following year, August 28, 1954. She received her BS in 1973 and MS in 1978 from Texas Woman’s University, and achieved such awards as “outstanding performance area nurse” June1978, “Certificate of Appreciation” from the Board of Nurses for the State of Texas December 1987 and March 1994, “outstanding contributions to children and youth” from the Dallas Independent School District May 14, 1994, the “President’s Award” from the Texas Association of School Nurses November 9, 1991, and the “Certificate of appreciation for commitment of time and expertise” in 1994. Jackie enjoyed people and was constantly thinking of others before herself. She raised her 3 children and helped to raise her grandchildren, who will all miss her terribly. Jackie and Horace provided a safe and secure environment for raising children. She had an amazing “Pollyanna” attitude, and always saw the glass as half full. She is preceded in death by her father, John Frederick Thoede and mother, Lena Mae Smithson. Jackie is survived by her 3 children, James Henry DeFord and wife, Michelle Guigneauz, Anna Lee DeFord Pinzon, and Horace Andrew DeFord Jr. and wife, Vicki Irick DeFord; 9 grandchildren, Kenneth Frank DeFord and wife, Laura Sanderson DeFord, Andrew Lee DeFord, and wife, Crystal Low DeFord, Heather Ann DeFord Seachris and husband, Jesston Seachris, Crystal Pinzon, Natalie Pinzon, Maria Pinzon, David Pinzon, Andrew Pinzon, and Steven Pinzon; and 9 great grand children, Mathew, Lorelai, Evan, Alyssa, Gabrielle, Alessandra, Aidan, Alex, and Jacilyn. Family will receive friends on Tuesday August 26, 2014 from 10:00 to 11:00 AM at Restland Funeral Home. Graveside service will be held at 11:00 AM at Restland Memorial Park. A memorial service will follow at Walnut Hill Methodist Church at 12:30 PM.
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