Jacqueline C. Wegescheide (nee Lynch), 76, of Millstadt, Illinois, joined her loved ones in Heaven on Friday, September 6, 2024, at her home with family. She was born on August 13, 1948, in East St. Louis, Illinois.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Albert Lynch and Mary Ellen (Bryan) Woodward, stepfather Howard Woodward, in-laws Irene (Darr) and Norman Wegescheide, brother Gary Woodward, nephew Nathan Staley, as well as beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Jacqueline is survived by her husband of 54 years Michael Wegescheide Sr., children, Christine (Steve) Pipik, Rebecca (Richard) Ruhman, Michael Wegescheide II, and daughter-in-law Jessica Wegescheide; grandchildren, Savannah (Tanner) Forsythe, Liliana Ruhman, Andrew and Lincoln Wegescheide, and Joseph and Alexandrea Pipik. She is further survived by sisters Lonnie (Robert) Frantz, Connie (Joe) Martin, and sister-in-law Cindy (Terry) Keller, as well as many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Jacqueline’s Christian faith was an essential part of her life. She was a faithful woman who loved the Lord and found enjoyment in the beautiful nature God created, whether it be watching her hummingbirds that came to her yard every year or searching for seashells and shark’s teeth on the beach in St. Pete Beach, Florida.
Jacqueline was also devoted to her family. In recent years she enjoyed going to her grandchildren’s sporting events, their activities at school, or even just hanging out and playing card games with them at her home. She liked to go out for dinner with her close cousins and sister, and going on trips with special aunts and uncles. Some of her favorite times were spent at her uncle’s annual pig roast as well as being able to grow up around her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
During her lifetime, Jacqueline worked as a Unit Secretary at Belleville Memorial Hospital for the OB Department and retired as the OB Administrative Assistant for the Belleville Memorial Birthing Center. Her job allowed her to perform the paperwork for all her grandchildren’s birth certificates, which was pretty special for her and them. She made many dear friends while there and those friends carried over to her outside work life, too.
Per her wishes, Rites of Cremation are being accorded.
Memorial Gathering will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, September 20, 2024, at Valhalla Gaerdner Holten Funeral Home, Belleville, Illinois. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
