Obituary - Jacqueline JoAnn McLeod

Jacqueline JoAnn McLeod passed away August 9, 2021, at a local care facility.

A viewing will be held Saturday, August 21, from 6-8 p.m. in The Rose Room Chapel at Croxford Funeral Home.

A graveside service will be held at Hill County Cemetery in Havre, MT, at 1 p.m. Monday. August 23.

Jacqueline was born in Kansas City, MO, on April 16, 1937 to John Leslie Bidwell and Cecelia Teresa Schmitz. She attended Buccaneer High School in Monterey, CA, for two years then transferred to El Camino High School in Sacramento, CA, where she graduated in 1955.

After graduating, she took classes to become a switchboard operator and then in 1956 received her Certificate for Stenographer. It was in Sacramento that she met her future husband, Robert Lee McLeod Sr. They dated for six weeks before eloping to Reno, NV, where they were married on March 24, 1956. Their lives were blessed with two sons and one daughter and 64 wonderful years of marriage.

Jackie, or "Jack" as she was known to some, worked as a stenographer, a switchboard operator, a hospital clerk, county treasurer and a billing clerk for the city and for Penney's. She also ran for Hill County Treasurer and won!

Throughout her marriage, they lived in various Montana cities including Havre, Simms, and Great Falls, even a couple of years in Texas, living in Great Falls for the last 21 years. Her interests were varied, including sewing, knitting, and crocheting. She was interested in Ancestry and adored her grandchildren.

Jackie was always smiling and humming. She was very caring and loving to everyone. She remembered everyone's birthdays, Easter, Valentine's Day, Xmas, graduations, and weddings. She made afghans for everyone who was sick or getting married and for everyone else. She made tons of stuff for all the babies. She was so giving! She even felt sorry for the cats in their neighborhood, worried about them being warm and fed. She and Robert Sr. built a two-room shelter on their deck and fed the cats twice a day. Her grocery bill was two-third's cat food. She loved her kitties!

Jackie was preceded in death by her parents; stepfather, William Russell, and mother, Cecelia Schmitz; baby boy McLeod; and her husband.

She is survived by her sons William Russell and Robert Lee Jr .; daughter, Debra Sue Smith; sisters, Peggy Louise Russell and Louise Ellen Bidwell; Grandchildren, Bobi Jo (Jason) Grensten, Erin Marie (Jameson) Hould, Bethany Ann (Bryan) Walters, Samantha Jo (Trevor) Stringham, William (Chris) McLeod, Barnaby (Heather) Smith, Becky (Todd) Horning, Bethany Arena (Neil) Davies, Bart (Kandy) Smith; 21 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Condolences may be shared with the family at http://www.croxfordfuneralhome.com .