Evelyn Jacquelin “Jackie” Adamson Wingard passed away peacefully at home in McKinney, Texas, on June 27, 2021. One day shy of their 66th wedding anniversary, her beloved husband, Richard “Dick” M. Wingard, Sr., was by her side.
Born in Lynchburg, on July 18, 1933, Jackie was the middle daughter of George Dent Adamson and Evelyn Byrd Thomasson Adamson who both preceded her in death. Having primarily grown up in the Lynchburg area, Jackie’s family moved six times while her father served in the U.S. Army during World War II, and they eventually moved to Blacksburg where Jackie graduated from Blacksburg High School in 1951.
After high school, Jackie attended Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg and fondly remembered living in the “practice house” while pursuing her degree in early childhood education. That experience coupled with her innate ability to organize all facets of life and the discipline to stick to a schedule prepared her to manage a busy household, family, and career throughout her life. After two years at Mary Washington, she moved back to Blacksburg and graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1955.
Jackie married the love of her life, Dick Wingard, Sr., on June 28, 1955, at Grace Episcopal Church in Blacksburg, and theirs was a love story that spanned over six decades. Always a devoted wife, Jackie happily followed Dick’s career moves to Washington, D.C.; El Paso; Huntsville, Ala.; Rockville, Md.; Long Meadow, Mass.; Cinnaminson, N.J.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Auburn, Ala.; Tampa, Fla.; and, when he retired, to McKinney.
Jackie said the one thing that she could always count on being the same, no matter where they lived, was her faith and being heavily involved in the Episcopal Church. She found the similarity of the services in every location to be a comfort and a constant in her life, which helped her acclimate and meet new friends. She also enjoyed working for many years in her chosen career field as a preschool teacher and director both in her home and at Good Samaritan Episcopal Church in Knoxville.
The mother of three sons and the grandmother to eight grandchildren, two bonus grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and two bonus great-grandchildren, Jackie loved spending time with her family. Over the course of many years, Jackie and Dick traveled extensively with her uncle and two sisters, visiting Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Great Britain, Scandinavia, Rhine, Switzerland, Italy, Capri, Austria, Germany, Greece, Turkey, the Panama Canal, Canada, and France and throughout the continental U.S. and Hawaii.
Jackie is survived by her husband, Dick; her sisters Martha Webb of Concord, Va., and Betty Teske of Blacksburg; her sons Richard M. Wingard, Jr., and his wife, Vickey, of Calera, Ala., George Andrew Wingard and his wife, Peggy, of Miami, Fla., Glynn Adamson Wingard and his wife, Beverly, of McKinney.; her grandchildren Trey Wingard, Cassie Holcombe, Adam Wingard, Chris Wingard, Ashton Wingard, Tiffany Wingard Chavez, Andrew Wingard, Caleb Wingard, Silas Wingard and Daniel J. Stagner; great-grandchildren Hailey Wingard, Archer Wingard, Caraline Holcombe, Leonardo Wingard, Carson Holcombe, Marie Chavez, and Charlotte Wingard; and one niece, five nephew, and many great-nieces and nephews.
Jackie was preceded in death by her honorary son, Larry Joe Perdue.
A memorial service was held at St. Philips Anglican Church on Friday, July 9, 2021, at 11 a.m. followed by graveside services at Westview Cemetery in Blacksburg. In lieu of flowers Jackie requested donations be made to the general fund at St. Philips Anglican Church.
