Jacqueline Stegner
A celebration of her life will be held at a later date.
Jacqueline Rose Stegner (née Dinsmore) was born in Grand Forks, B.C. to Raymond Ernest and Rose Marie (née Borell) Dinsmore, but she grew up in Vancouver, B.C. Showing an early interest in music, she began private voice lessons at age six. In time, keyboard and music theory lessons were added using a Canadian study program from Trinity College of the Royal Academy of Music, London, England. She performed for testing by British adjudicators who traveled across Canada annually.
Performance opportunities included vocal competitions in the B.C. Music Festival and the Welsh Festival, outdoor community talent shows, church choirs, and, as a child soloist, for weddings and special events. At King Edward High School, singing in operetta productions and being in the choral music program added to her preparation to become a choral music teacher. Her participation in her high school MacMillan Music Club enabled her to be a student usher at the Orpheum Theatre, the Vancouver Civic Auditorium, and the Vancouver Repertory Theatre, giving her exposure to the professional performing arts.
From age 14, she worked Saturdays and school vacations for a women's ready-to-wear chain, a financial loan company, CBC Radio, and CBUT.
She entered UBC in 1954 to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree. While there, she served on the Special Events Committee, bringing professional musicians and speakers to the campus. This committee was in charge of hosting the guests as well as preparing their publicity and public relations, and it gave her more backstage experience.
Her family moved to Seattle in 1957, where she completed her BA in Communications from UW ('58) and her teaching certification from Seattle University ('59). She joined the staff of Catherine Blaine Junior High School teaching the 7th – 9th grade Choral and General Music, as well as 9th grade English and 8th grade Speech/Drama. By attending UW summer classes and after-school In-Service Training, she received her MA in Communications from UW ('64). From 1969 to 1971, she spent one-half of her teaching time on the UW School of Music staff supervising graduate students seeking Master of Music degrees and their teaching certificates.
During this period, she served on boards of Delta Kappa Gamma (teaching honorary), the Seattle Photographic Society, the Photographic Society of America, and as an advisor to a 9th grade Girls Y-Teen group. After spending a summer as the Talent Show Coordinator and Front Desk Night Clerk at Paradise Inn, she managed the Rainier National Park Co. seasonal office in the Olympic Hotel in Seattle for several summers, sending bus tours around Mount Rainier.
In June 1972, she married John Jacob (Jack) Stegner. She ended her teaching career and devoted herself full-time to her new family in her Magnolia home. Three years later, they moved to a small acreage on Samish Island overlooking Padilla Bay, and her lifestyle changed completely. Jack now had enough land to return to his North Dakota roots, caring for sheep and raising lambs. But with crabbing and fishing nearby, boating became a bigger part of their lifestyle. Between summer boating to northern B.C. and Alaska, entertaining on Samish Island, and trips in their motor home to almost every state, they lived a busy lifestyle.
After Jack's sudden death in 1996, Jacquie returned to her fine arts interests, helping to develop programs at the Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner, starting with the Monday Afternoon Forum (Docent education) and Family Art Day (Intergenerational gallery visits and hands-on art activities). A trained Art Education Director was soon hired and the MoNA Link program was added. This program puts art education specialists into classrooms, brings classes to the museum for tours and hands-on art activities, and leaves a legacy of local teachers trained to integrate art projects into all of their lesson plans.
Eventually, as a MoNA board member, she became Chair of the Development Committee, using her publicity and fundraising skills to organize MoNA Style, Art & Architecture Tours and programs designed to keep the “fun” in “fundraising.”
At this time, the Skagit Symphony moved to McIntyre Hall, and she helped initiate the School Concerts program, which brings students from all seven county school districts—as well as from private, parochial, and home schools—to a live concert in late January. All transportation and performance costs are paid by symphony donors.
Jacquie was strongly committed to ensuring that the cultural values of fine arts and the need to preserve the environment were passed on to future generations, which led her to focus on developing endowment funds and legacy circles for the non-profit organizations in Skagit County.
She is survived by two stepsons, Harry Austin Stegner II of Mount Vernon, WA, and Robert Stegner of Bellingham, WA; two grandchildren, Linnea Stegner of Edmonds, WA, and Andre Stegner of Mount Vernon, WA; and several cousins.
Memorials may be made to your favorite charity or to endowments held by the Skagit Community Foundation:
McIntyre Hall Local Performing Arts Endowment
Padilla Bay Foundation Endowment Fund
Museum of NW Art Endowment
Skagit Symphony Endowment
Skagit Community Foundation
P.O.Box 1763 Mount Vernon, WA 98273
Memories
From Charlene Day
Chuck and I were very lucky to have known Jacquie throughout the past 15 years sharing in the close community of Samish Island, even at our Easter or Thanksgiving family gatherings. We send our condolences to her family and keep cherished memories of our many times with such an engaging and involved person to help others appreciate community. May we all carry on her initiatives in her honor.
From Tove Chatham
Bill and I were neighbors of Jacquie for the past 25 years. We cherish and miss her and her father Ray very much. She was an exquisite and accomplished hostess and Gardener.
What a fundraiser she was. She will be a sorely missed
From Therese Ogle
Jacquie was one of the first people I met when I moved to Samish Island in 1997. I was also working with nonprofits and she was a whirlwind of energy, ideas, and passionate support for her causes. It was always fun to accompany Jacquie to a concert or symphony and I've found myself really missing her presence in recent years. She's a Samish Island legend and we'll miss her.
From Rob Martin
Jackie was an inspiration to many in our community. She demonstrated her leadership through her endowments and scholarships. Thank you Jackie. Rest in peace.
From Mary Lou caudill
She was one of a kind. When she requested you to do something you didn't say no!
From Thais Armstrong
It was a privilege to know Jacquie and her father, Ray. Such a dynamic and inspiring woman. I’ll always remember the school bus-shaped cookies at Symphony fundraisers… supporting bringing school children to music. It’s an amazing skill to help finance what you love.
Thank you, Jacquie! May you rest in peace, having made lasting changes in Skagit County. 💗
Thais & Howard Armstrong
From Liz Bart
Jacquie will remain forever in the hearts of the Bart family. We had the privilege of meeting Jacquie soon after moving to Samish Island in 1992 and have shared in many meaningful life eras.
Jacquie’s generosity and goodwill is a lasting gift to our family and the greater community. I appreciated her encouragement and support of our budding magician son and his future cause - Magicians Without Borders.
Jacquie paid attention and looked out for the welfare of Islanders. She once reported to us that our “new to driving” daughter was over the speed limit when she drove past her house. That changed.
The entertaining era was long lasting and such fun. Jacquie did it with incredible finesse!
Jacquie’s dad, Ray, came to live with her in his elder years. We shared in this era of parents living with us. My mom Betty and Ray became constant companions in their 80’s into late 90’s. As our parents aged and stopped driving, Jacquie would transport Ray for cribbage play dates with my mom. Jacquie was an incredible support and devoted daughter.
I am grateful for the many ways that Jacquie has touched our lives and the lives of so many more.
To an impactful, life well lived.
Thank you, Jacquie 💝
From Celia Chandler
One day in 2005 I was informed--as chair of the Skagit Symphony's Education Committee-- that we would be expecting a guest at our meeting. A veritable whirlwind in the person of a small, articulate, enthusiastic and intent Jacque Stegner arrived at our meeting, quickly stating her reason for coming: "Why are there no school-day symphony performances for the students of the seven school districts of Skagit Valley?"
When the answer involved the greatest challenge--financing the school bus transportation to the new McIntyre Hall, Jacquie opened her purse and straight away wrote a check, "Now", she charged, "Get to work!" We did. And the rest is history-- of the splendid "Schools to Symphony" program inspiring thousands of students over the past eighteen years! That was Jacquie. What generous gifts she has given us.
From Deborah Smeltzer
Jacquie was such a remarkable contributor to arts and music in Skagit Valley and she will be sorely missed. As Skagit Symphony hosts its 2025 School Concerts this year on January 23, we remember what a difference she made to so many students by getting this program started. Following Jacquie's energetic leadership with the first School Concerts in 2008 we now invite all the public 5th-grade students in Skagit County's seven school districts plus the public 5th-graders in Stanwood-Camano SD. We added a third School Concert in 2017 thanks to the generosity of our volunteer musicians. Each year we accommodate nearly 1800 students and their teachers. Thus, Jacquie's legacy has been to ensure that thousands of our students as well as our community are touched and inspired by music. What a gift!
From Bruce Lisser
Jacque was a kind, compassionate and very generous person.
She was forthright in her opinions yet open to ideas, especially when needing help.
I was fortunate to work with her on a board as well as professionally.
I always appreciated her whit and sense of humor and of course her smile.
She will be a significant loss to the community but as has been mentioned by others, her generous support in the community, especially the arts will be a lasting memory.
We should all learn from her example!
From Joan Penney
Jackie and her father will always remain stars in my life. Their generosity, vision, and thoughtfulness for our community made it a better place for many. My condolences to her family and appreciation for sharing her with us. Her love of music and the arts will be with us for many years to come.
From Kay Reinhardt
Jacquie thought ahead in her advocacy of the Skagit Community’s non profits’ varied missions. She was an effective strategist… always with a mind toward practical applicability. She understood the value of human capital in organizations and invariably lent her perspectives and recommendations tactfully with due respect. She sensed the bottom line value of her projects and had a laser focus on helping boost effectiveness where needed. In reading this sparkling obituary I am again admiring of the paths she walked & sailed. It was a sheer delight to have known her. My husband Jeronimo and I shared a fondness for her and her father Ray. She will remain a model of inspiration.
Add new comment