Jacquelyn Andreason

Jacquelyn Rae Andreason

Jacquelyn Rae Andreason “The Diva.”  Born October 6, 1952 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Ferris C. and Helen Latimer Barker.  How can I begin to tell you about the Diva and do her justice?  A piece of our soul left with my mom.  She had an arm like a Yankee pitcher and I witnessed with my own eyes when she threw a salt shaker the day we made her get her flu shot.  We always teased her and said she “a-salted us.”  Or the time she put her cig out on her son-in-law’s head (well deserved, I must say).  It was a good thing he was wearing a fireproof hat.  I will miss seeing her sitting at the table when we came over to her house or yelling at her “woman get outta that bed.”  I will miss the twinkle in her eye when I would tease her and tell her, “I’m gonna come over this table at you woman” at Thanksgiving dinners.  She had a great sense of humor to put up with kids like us.

She has one sister, Christine Barker, aka Auntie Farts, that she dearly loved and who took such good care of her.  Even when she was being stubborn, she would eat 12 brownie cupcakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  She was the most sugar-eating diabetic I have ever met in my entire life!  Our mom lived her life on her own terms.  She had a heart of gold and a soft spot for all animals.

She married the love of her life, Arthur Andreason, on January 28, 1972.  They traveled to Germany before residing in Layton.  She worked at HAFB and made a lot of friends.  Our mom was easy to talk to and a very special soul.  She graduated from West High School in 1971 and absolutely loved Salt Lake City.  We would go on rides and she could tell me exactly where she was and pointed out all of her stomping grounds, between complaining about my driving.  How was I supposed to know that Salt Lake had so many one-way streets?

The funniest thing was taking her to Medieval Times in California for the renaissance dinner and show that we had to drag her to, kicking and screaming.  There was a photo shoot with the “King” for all of the patrons and the face in her photo was the funniest thing I have ever seen.  Needless to say, we bought the photo and it looked great on her birthday cake.  Oh, Mom, my heart hurts loosing you so soon.  I wish I could get back the days that you would chase us out of the house with your robe and moon boots to put us on the bus.  We love you more than you will ever know.

She is preceded in death by her mother and father, one very special Granny Mabel and Grandma Thomas, who I hope is taking good care of her, and her animals Shotsie, Michael (2), Lady Bird, Pepe, Molly, Chipsey, Jipsey, Taffy, and Oogo.  She is survived by two daughters, Alesha (Anthony) and Michelle “Micki”, two grandchildren, Tayler and Addelyn, her sister Christine Barker, husband Arthur Andreason, her dogs Odie, Buddy, and one nasty cat Tigger.

Graveside services will be held Tuesday, January 28, 2014 at 11 a.m. at Lindquist’s Memorial Park at Layton, 1867 No. Fairfield Road.

Services entrusted to Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in her name to the Humane Society of Utah.  And remember, we had a deal, Mom!!!