Jacqueline "Jackie" Fletcher Hart

Jacqueline “Jackie” Fletcher Hart, age 91, peacefully passed away in her home on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. Jackie was born on September 21, 1934, to Drew and Bertha Fletcher. On June 12, 1955, Jackie married the love of her life, William F. (Bill) Hart. They lived a blessed life together for almost 70 years. They raised three daughters, Joan, Francene, and Joycelyn, on their now seven-generational family farm near Mayo, Florida.

Jackie graduated from Branford High School in 1952. Then she attended Florida State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1955 and her master’s degree in education in 1958. While at FSU, she worked at the student union, and one of her best experiences at FSU was being a member of the Marching Chiefs. She talked fondly of her time in the School of Music, especially traveling to the Sun Bowl in 1954. At the age of 81, she was able to march with and play in the Alumni band on the same field with her granddaughter Tiffany, who was in the Marching Chiefs at the time. After graduating from FSU, she and Bill made their home in Mayo and began their careers as teachers for the Lafayette School District. Through the first 18 years of her career, Jackie taught various elementary grades. Her last 20 years were spent teaching kindergarten. She retired in 1993 after 38 years as an elementary teacher. She then spent the next 25 years substituting at the elementary school, covering many extended leaves while teachers were out weeks and sometimes months. Her teaching certificate expired in 2023. She loved to teach, not just to watch children grow in knowledge, but she knew her teaching career was a way to provide extra opportunities for her girls and time to drive them to all their lessons and activities.

In 1970, Jackie was a founding member of the local Gamma Nu chapter of the Alpha Delta Kappa organization for female teachers. She served as president, president-elect, and on many committees. In this service organization, Jackie took many opportunities to help other teachers and students through multiple altruistic programs. Jackie continued participating in ADK after she retired and was awarded the Golden Sister award for 50 years of membership in 2020. She continued to support the benevolent work of the Gamma Nu chapter. She was so proud to serve in this organization with two of her daughters, Francene and Joycelyn, as well as her granddaughter, Kacia.

Jackie’s first priority was service to God. She grew up in the Baptist faith at Branford First Baptist Church. She liked to tell the story that she did not miss Sunday School. So, when a trip with the Marching Chiefs at FSU kept her from attending, she taught a Sunday School lesson on the band bus. After she married Bill, they served in countless positions at Mayo Baptist Church and supported various missions. She was a Sunday School teacher, VBS teacher, and church organist. She also served as music director in the 60s.

Jackie had a passion for sharing Christ and inviting people to church. When a pastor challenged the congregation to be witnesses for Jesus, he said that our Jerusalem is where we live, including our neighbors who live around us, she took that to heart. For years, she and Bill stopped at different homes from curve to curve on county road 300 and transported numerous children to church services and activities.

Jackie loved her family and enjoyed taking summer trips around the country with Bill and her girls, stopping at rest areas to cook meals on a portable stove. Reading a map and giving driving directions was usually one of her strengths, except the summer she had them wind around on the wrong mountain roads, but she usually told Bill the right way to go on their drives. She also loved traveling with Bill and enjoyed going with him on his REA trips around the state and the nation. They took every opportunity they could to travel to performances, games, recitals, and other activities of their daughters and grandchildren.

She will be greatly missed by her family and friends, not only for her steadfast faithfulness of God’s work, but her charity to others.

Jackie was preceded in death by her parents, Drew and Bertha Fletcher, her husband Bill, her brother W.D. (Leota) Fletcher, George (Marilyn) Fletcher, sister Quintilla (Eugene) Lynch, nephews Sonny Fletcher, Charles Fletcher, niece Pam Fletcher Walker, and grandson Darren Sheppard.

She is survived by her sister-in-law Latrelle Hart, daughters Joan (Kip) Carpenter, Francene (Andy) Folsom, and Joycelyn Cook; grandchildren William (Kristyn) Folsom, Aaron Folsom, Kacia (Travis) Colson, Olivia (Jeff) DeLong, Stephen (Taylor) Putnal, Tiffany Carpenter, Jared Cook, and Elisabeth (Cannon) Bushman; great-grandchildren Jacob, Lanae, Kyleigh, Adalyn, Hart, Amelia, Grant, Wyatt, and Delilah; and a host of nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held on Tuesday, May 19, at 2:30 p.m. at Mayo Baptist Church in Mayo, Florida. The funeral will follow at 3:30, with Reverend Rick James officiating. The interment will be held at Bethel Cemetery. Donations may be given to Mayo Baptist Church in memory of Jackie Hart. Arrangements are under the direction and care of GATEWAY-FOREST LAWN FUNERAL HOME, 3596 S. US HWY 441, Lake City, FL, 32025, 386-752-1954. Please leave words of comfort for the family at www.gatewayforestlawn.com.