Obituary

Jacqueline Sue Garbutt, 83, of Tempe, Arizona died on August 23, 2021, in Mesa, Arizona. She was born on February 6, 1938, in Wellsville, Ohio to Donald Elliott and Bernice Felton Heil. She married the late Peter M Garbutt in 1962 and lived in Akron, Ohio for 30 years before relocating to Albany, Georgia and then Orlando, Florida and then spent the last several years in Arizona. Jackie is survived by three daughters, Judy Chalker in Orlando, FL, Kim Baron in Florida and Leslie McKay in Surprise, AZ. She is also survived by 7 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. Jackie was predeceased by her loving husband of 46 years in 2008. Preceded in death by 2 brothers Jim and Tom Elliott of Wellsville, OH. Survived by Ruth Hepp of St. Augustine, FL, and Becky (Lenny) Piko of Wintersville, OH. Jackie was a remarkable woman overcoming the challenges of becoming deaf at age 6. She was a strong woman and an excellent mother. She had a great sense of humor and loved pulling pranks on her family, always looking for smiles and laughs. She loved her family unconditionally and always looked for ways to help whenever she could and was still helping to raise some of her great grandchildren until her passing. Always putting others’ needs before her own. We can only imagine her as a special angel in heaven with our dad and her mom and all those that loved her, and she loved so much and even all the animals she cared for and loved so much throughout her life. Thank you mom and we will never forget your love for us and all the wonderful memories you have left for us to talk about forever.

Message from Becky Piko: Jackie was amazing. She graduated from high school in Youngstown, OH. There she learned to lip read and speak. She went to the prom and belonged to the Girls Athletic Association in high school. After graduating from high school, she graduated from business school in Steubenville, OH and then was employed at the former St. John’s Hospital in Steubenville. It was around that time that she and Geri Patrick Artis became friends. Geri did know sign language, Jackie not so much. She and Geri started traveling to Akron to go to the deaf club there. There is a huge deaf community in Akron/Cleveland/Canton area. It was at the deaf club that she met her future husband, Peter. Jackie would come home after being out with him (and Geri and Carl) and wake me up and teach me sign language she learned while she was out with them. I was about 9. Jackie was great to me growing up. I could write volumes! She and Peter got married on my 10th birthday. I cried all day because Peter was taking her away from me! Jackie was so funny and such a prankster. You had to keep an eye on her playing games because she was always cheating! She loved her girls and grandkids. A special angel has joined Peter and Mom. Miss and love you, Jackie. Thank you for all you did for me.

A private family memorial is planned for a future date back home in Florida where her ashes will be spread with her husband’s where they both lived for so long and until her husband’s death in 2008.