Obituary of Jacqueline H. Cecchettini

Jacqueline H. Cecchettini Bedminster- Jacqueline H. (Harper) Cecchettini, 79, passed away on Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at Kindred Hospital in Rahway, NJ after a long illness. Born in Rahway, Jackie was the only child of the late, John V. Harper and Rosamond M. Mumford. She was raised in Fanwood where she resided until her marriage to the late John Cecchettini. They settled to Westfield for a short time before moving to South Plainfield to raise their family. In 1978 they moved to Warren before retiring in Bedminster in 1999. Jackie attended Berkeley Secretarial School and was employed initially by Pillsbury in NYC and later for Bell Labs in Murray Hill. She chose to change paths to raise a family while assisting her husband as a founding partner of the John Cecchettini Insurance Agency of South Plainfield. While always helpful to her husband, Jackie returned to work at Wes Westrom & Associates, a provider of Dale Carnegie courses from which she retired in the late 90's. Jackie was known for having a phenomenal memory with the ability to recall specific information, history and events. She is the author of two books related to her younger years and local history entitled, "Fanwood - The Way it Was - The Way We Were" and "Four Towns Remembered". Jackie enjoyed walking for exercise, traveling with friends and family, antiquing in VT, and indoor gardening. She was instrumental with the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Class of '49, planning their reunions and keeping her classmates connected. In addition to her parents, Jackie was predeceased by her husband, John, who died in February 2004. Surviving is her family: Gina Cecchettini and her daughter, Valerie Cecchettini of South Plainfield and Steven Cecchettini and Tim Ward of Warren. Funeral Services will begin on Friday, October 7, 2011 at 9:15 AM in the McCriskin-Gustafson Home For Funerals, 2425 Plainfield Ave., South Plainfield, NJ followed by a 10:00 AM Funeral Mass in Sacred Heart Church, 149 South Plainfield Ave., South Plainfield, NJ 07080. Interment will follow in Hillside Cemetery, Scotch Plains, NJ.. Family and friends may attend the visitation hours on Thursday, October 6, 2011 from 2-4 & 7-9 PM in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory, may be made to the Plainfield Area Humane Society, 75 Rock Avenue Plainfield, NJ 07060 or the American Heart Association, 1 Union Street, Robbinsville, NJ 09681.