Jacqueline Drown Obituary

OLD ORCHARD BEACH - Jacqueline Georgette Petit Drown (85) died peacefully, surrounded by her loving family on November 8, 2024. Beloved wife, mother, memere, sister, aunt, and friend, Jackie was born to John W. and Annie Caron Petit on October 27, 1939. The youngest of 7 children, she grew up in Biddeford and Old Orchard Beach.

At Old Orchard Beach High School, Jackie was captain of the cheerleading squad, played basketball and softball, and sang in the Glee Club. A talented and hardworking student, she graduated near the top of her class of 1958.

In her sophomore year, Jackie met the love of her life, Wendell. By the next year, they were going steady and upon graduation they were married at St. Margaret’s Catholic Church. In their young married years, they enjoyed socializing with their friends by skiing, ice-skating, bowling, dancing, and going to the movies.

Jackie worked at the phone company until Jeffrey, her firstborn, was on the way. Jackie was a devoted mother and homemaker. Her whoopie pies and sheet cake were legendary. She spent many summers on the beach with a supportive community of fellow mothers and their children. Her frequent trips to visit her brothers and sisters and their children were filled with love, laughter, good food, and card games that she was determined to win.

One theme of Jackie’s life was her desire to be of service to others. She served as a den mother for the OOB Cub Scout pack in the 1970s. An avid reader, Jackie laid the foundation of literacy for her children and later her grandchildren. Her passion for literacy led her to pursue a college education while raising three school-aged children. She earned a B.A. from the University of Southern Maine and a Master's degree in Library Science from the University of Rhode Island.

She took a job as a middle school librarian at Loranger Memorial School in Old Orchard Beach. As a professional librarian, she established the school’s first library skills curriculum. She was a fierce opponent of censorship, defending books in her library from challenge. Her vision of the library drove her to envision a physical expansion of the library, which with the help of Wendell, became reality. She was a mentor to generations of teachers and librarians including librarian colleagues Paulette, Kerri (also her niece), and Amy.

Jackie had the gift of folding people into the family. Over the years, she loved the spouses and step-grandchildren that her family loved. She welcomed Cynthia, Kathryn, Shane, Annie, Alyssa, and Ashley, all of whom returned her love.

Jackie’s faith and Wendell’s buoyed her through her final journey. They faced this challenging time with grace and confidence that she would be welcomed into heaven. She and Wendell received blessings every day during the last six months.

Jackie and Wendell appreciated the tender and skilled services of their primary Hospice of Southern Maine team, including Sue, Kari, Kate, Rachel, and Dave. Donations in her memory can be made to the Hospice of Southern Maine or the Libby Memorial Library in Old Orchard Beach.

Jackie is survived by her beloved husband Wendell and her sons Jeffrey, Timothy and Eric and their spouses Cynthia, Annie, and Martina. She is also survived by her sister June and brother-in-law Steven and his spouse Dayna. She has 5 grandchildren: Christopher, Steven, Rose, Emma, and Chloe. She has 6 great-grandchildren and dozens of nieces, nephews, and friends, all of whom she blessed with her light.