Jacqueline Muriel Groff

Jacqueline, commonly known as “Jackie,” was born in Long Beach, CA September 25, 1927. At 6 weeks of age her parents, Robert Allen and Alyse Allen went to So. Carolina to visit her dad’s family. From there they went to Brooklyn, New York where her mother lived. After a while her dad transferred and joined them in Brooklyn, where Jackie grew up. Her dad passed away from tuberculosis when she was 9 years old. Life was hard for awhile and with time things improved. She met and became engaged to Charles “Chuck” Haeling, a sailor who lived across the street in New York City. Once he got out of the Navy, he followed his brother to Sacramento where jobs were plentiful. He got a job and sent for Jackie, and she and her mother took a train to Sacramento. They were married, bought a home and subsequently were blessed with identical twin daughters, Janett and Judyth.

In addition to raising a family, Jackie also had a career with Sutter Hospitals where her last position was Assistant to the Director of the Mental Health Center. In 1982 her mother passed away and during the later part of her career, in 1991 Chuck passed away. She learned about a grief organization called WPAC (Widowed Persons Assoc of Ca-Sacramento Chapter). She attended their support group and there she met Peter Groff. What began as a great friendship became a magical love affair. They married during Hot August Nights in Reno, August 8, 1993. Sadly, in 1996 less than 3 years later Jackie’s daughter Janett passed away. Jackie and Peter lived a full and active life for 28 years.  In 2021, Peter, the love of her life, passed away.

Jackie deeply loved her family, largely a chosen family of sons and daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She enjoyed lifelong friendships and spread her love and hospitality everywhere she went.

In the wake of all her loss Jackie continued to live her life fully and deeply missing those who pre-deceased her. She was amazing, beloved, beautiful inside and out, intelligent and deeply caring. Her presence filled a room. If you met Jackie, you would remember her. She made a profound impact on this world and with everyone she met. At 98 years of age, she had a full life and experienced so much, which made her so resilient. She will always be with us, and we can be at peace knowing she is with God and so many loved ones that have greeted her in heaven. Loved ones she has longed to see and is now joyfully among them.