July 27, 2007

Longtime Evergreen teacher dies

Family, colleagues mourn the loss of Carol Jacklitch

By Carol Rosen
Staff Writer

There are many people in the Evergreen area that will miss Carol Jacklitch. Her warm personality, ready smile and dedication and commitment to teaching will be sorely missed.

Jacklitch, who taught in the Evergreen School District for more than 35 years, was dedicated to her job. She chose her career as a teen teaching a Sunday School class when she got the bug to help others learn. Although she had no children of her own, she would joke to her husband that she had 175 of her own—for nine months out of the year.

“During her high school years, she was a competitive tennis player with lots of trophies to prove it, but she gave it up because she had a burning desire to be a teacher,” her husband Ed Jacklitch said.

Jacklitch graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in education and went into teaching the following fall, her husband said. She spent her first year at Cadwallader, but then moved to Holly Oak, where she taught the next 20 years. That was followed by a 17-year stint at Quimby Oak prior to retiring in June 2003. She taught the third through eighth grades, as well as history and social studies at Quimby Oak.

Jacklitch stood out in the district because of her dedication, said colleagues. If her classroom budget was overdrawn, she would fund materials from her own pocket. But it was her service as the chair of the Evergreen Teachers’ Scholarship Committee for 20 years that made her special. She was among the first people on the committee, which grants scholarships to college bound students who have gone through the Evergreen School District. During her tenure, she granted nearly 100 scholarships.

“I remember when Carol shared with me that she was going to retire,” said current scholarship committee chair Jean Schorr. “One of her concerns was looking for a replacement to take over the scholarship committee. Carol was passionate about this committee and wanted to make sure the transition was smooth. She was highly organized and spent time with me thoroughly explaining the procedures. She gave me folders with everything I needed and said to call if I ever needed anything.”

“Carol was very proud of her former students who applied for an Evergreen Teachers Association Scholarship,” Schorr added. “When they walked through the door for their interview, they were delighted to see Mrs. Jacklitch and greeted her with a big hug and smile. Carol made an impact on their lives and it was evident in the memories they shared being in her class.”

Carol Jacklitch

Once she retired, Jacklitch and her husband spent much of the time traveling. Among the trips they took included a visit to Alaska, one to western Canada and another touring the Midwest and the Southwest, all of which lasted around six to eight weeks. Prior to that, the couple took many weekend and summer trips.

Jacklitch and her husband lived in Willow Glen where she spent a lot of time ensuring that their garden was one of the most beautiful in the neighborhood. She also spent a lot of her time at St. Andrew’s Church in Saratoga where she was a member for 21 years and gave as much time as possible volunteering in various capacities including the Echo Shop.

She loved to entertain, said her husband, planning parties and having friends over. “She was the consummate entertainer,” he said.

Six months after she retired, Carol was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but through treatment she survived for the next three years. Throughout that time she did not give in, Ed Jacklitch said, but continued to decorate the house and work in the garden.

“She was always active and busy and very well organized,” Ed Jacklitch said. “She organized our trips and kept me on my toes. She had a real spark for living. She did so much; there aren’t enough words to describe all the things she did. I miss her terribly. She was the light of my life.”

Services were held July 21, at St. Andrews Church. The Humane Society of Silicon Valley, 2530 Lafayette Street, Santa Clara 95050, is accepting donations in her memory.