Jacqueline "Jackilu" Louise Sweeney

MADISON - Our beautiful Mom/Nana, Jacqueline L. “Jackie” Sweeney, age 92, of Madison, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Friday, April 30, 2021, at Agrace HospiceCare. She was born to Carroll W. and Margery M. (Contell) Ray on March 12, 1929, in Prairie Du Chien, Wis., and lived in a little house on the Mississippi River (hence the “famous” Prairie du Chien song that Mom taught us and has carried down to the great-grandkids!). Jackie’s family moved to Stoughton in 1942 where she went to school through her junior year. They then moved to Madison where Jackie graduated from East High School in 1947. She made lifelong friends at East High, continuing those friendships through the years with her "card club" group and reunion committee. In Jackie's early years, her family started a show troupe called Ray's Sunshine Kiddies Revue where they sang, danced and performed at community fairs and festivals. Jackie sang and danced, but her claim to fame was performing amazing acrobatics. Mom always shared stories of those days and told us how much she loved that time of her life with her family. In fact, she was known to still perform some of her gymnastic feats for her grandchildren! Jackie met the love of her life, Joseph R. Sweeney, in 1951 at Rennebohm Drug Store in downtown Madison, where she was working at the counter and he was visiting from Washington. As Mom would tell us later, and as we all know, Dad was dressed to the nines. They fell in love immediately, and Dad and his "Jackie Doll" were married on April 19, 1952. They had their first of six children in 1953 and made Madison/Monona their permanent home. And that’s what the Sweeney house was-a home for everyone. Jackie made certain of that. Every one of their children’s friends, and by extension their families, knew they were welcome at all times and were made to feel part of the family, such that the center of the community was often the home of Jackie and Joe. Family gatherings for Christmas, Easter, First Communions, Kentucky Derbys, Packers, Badgers and Brewers games, pool parties, softball championship celebrations-these were weekly and continuous events at Jackie and Joe’s home, and no one ever doubted the warmth with which they would be met upon entry. Old and new neighbors alike adored Mom for her grace and kindness. Mom and Dad treasured those days and had so many great stories and lots of laughs when they reminisced about their pool parties and neighborhood antics! Jackie loved to travel with Joe, and they always looked forward to their vacations in Florida, Door County and Chicago with their family, neighbors, and friends. Jackie and Joe shared 60 glorious, fun years together before Joe passed away in 2012. Mom's strong faith and love of God guided her through life. She was a lifelong member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Monona, sharing her gifts of baking, cooking and volunteering whenever she could. Her true pride was in her family and her calling in life was caring for others and devoting herself to her faith. None of us will ever doubt that Mom/Nana loved and adored each of us more than life itself-what a gift that is. She made each of us feel so important. Her love shined through when she took the best care of us whenever we were sick or needed help (and she instinctively knew when that was), in her baking (thousands of Christmas cookies and her yummy chocolate chip cookies), in her meals made with love, and in cleaning (yep, that's right!). Mom is a legacy of love. Always accepting and never judgmental, she had an impact on every person she met. She taught us all what unconditional love truly means. By her example, she taught us all the most important lessons of life, and we hope to make her proud by passing on those lessons. Mom’s wish was to die in a state of grace, and there is no doubt in our hearts that she did. Jackie is survived by her three daughters, Vikki Kinsler, Valori Miller and Toni (Mark Juris) Smith; her three sons, Gary (Ellen) Sweeney, Mark (Laura Turner) Sweeney and Mike (Jill) Sweeney; 19 grandchildren, Toby (Jennell) Kinsler, Amanda (Paul) Lavoe, Nicole Smith (Jason Pertzborn), Chelsea (Dan) Nicholson, Kristen (Jason) Lentz, Kyle (Angie) Pulvermacher, Jake Smith (CeJay Rosas), Callie (Brent) Hill, Matt Juris, Nick Juris, Samantha Sweeney, Brett Miller (Annika Lintvedt), Jordan Jenks-Recker, Taylor Jenks-Recker, Danielle Juris, Payton Jenks-Recker, Ana Sweeney, Zoe Jenks-Recker and Gabi Sweeney; and 21 great-grandchildren, Jackson, Easton and Hudson Kinsler; Zion, Zachery and Ziva Lavoe; Haley Nicholson; Brody, Owen and Kylie Pertzborn; Silas, Atticus and Xavier Lentz; Jocelyn and Carly Jo Pulvermacher; Ruby Campbell and baby Smith due in June; Alice, Bea and Fred Hill; and Mya Simmons. She is further survived by her loving sister-in-law, Pat Ray; and her many adoring nieces and nephews who all loved and cared for her immensely. Jackie was preceded in death by her husband, Joe; her parents, Carroll and Margery; her sisters and their husbands, Gloria and Bing Toubl, Donna Jeanne (Nean) and Libby Olson; her brother, Gareth “Bud” Ray; daughter-in-law, Stacey Sweeney; nephew, Robert Reinfried;, and her sisters-in-law, Patricia (Sweeney) Frank and Kathleen (Sweeney) Reinfried-Ganshert. A private Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, Madison, on Saturday May 8, 2021, with Father Bart Timmerman presiding. Friends and family may view the service via livestream at: . A private family burial will be held at a later date at Roselawn Memorial Park. The Sweeney family offers heartfelt thanks to Dr. Russell Lemmon for his wonderful care of Mom, Father Bart Timmerman for his spiritual guidance and friendship to our family over the years, and the staff at Agrace HospiceCare for their loving care of Mom. We would also like to thank two special angels here on earth, Ruthann Snow and Ana Sweeney, for the compassion and care they provided Mom in her final days. And, Val, thank you so much for your unending devotion, love and care for Mom, especially over the last nine months. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family for a fund to be established at a later date. "We love you, Mom. We know you’re now at peace and with Dad again.” Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com . Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care 5203 Monona Drive (608) 221-5420