Biography: Jacqueline ?Jackie? Dyer, beautiful mother and Nana, departed this earth and joined her beloved husband in heaven on August 26, 2012. She was born on September 27, 1943 in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the only daughter of William Jackson Watson, DDS and Elsie Dwinell Watson. Her father called her ?Sugar? from an early age, in part because of her disposition and partly in rebellion against her given name, which he begrudgingly gave her to appease his wife. After graduating from Hot Springs High School in 1961, she moved to Conway to study at Arkansas State Teachers College (now University of Central Arkansas) from which she graduated in 1965 and where she met and married her sweetheart in life, Jim Dyer. They were married 43 wonderful years before his passing in 2008. A lifelong teacher, she held a Master?s Degree in chemistry from the University of Central Arkansas and taught Advanced Placement chemistry at Central High School and at University of Arkansas at Little Rock; she retired in 1998. She never understood mediocrity and strived to do her best in all endeavors. She will always be remembered as a brilliant person who never failed to speak her mind. She had a quick and razor sharp wit coupled with a unique sense of humor. Once you figured that out, conversations with her resonated with levity and were mixed with hidden truth. She enjoyed traveling with her husband, also an educator, throughout the USA and Canada. She will be remembered by those dear to her as an incredibly generous and giving person. She attended Asbury United Methodist Church for most of her adult life, raising her two daughters amongst a circle of friends that lasted throughout her life. She is the loving mother to Cindy and Christy, and during the last few years of her life Jackie relied heavily on the two of them for comfort and support during her many trials. And she wasn?t a quitter. You could always count on her to keep trying even if she didn?t feel like it. She loved her daughters and grandsons dearly, and what she couldn?t do physically, she made up for with kindness and patience. Nana could not do everything she wanted but she did what she could and she lit up when her boys were around. She was preceded in death by her parents William and Elsie Watson; brother, William Jackson Watson, Jr.; and her husband, Jim Dyer. She is survived by daughter, Cindy Cole (son-in-law Mike); daughter, Christy Harward (son-in-law Matt) and four incredible grandsons (in order of birth): Miles Harward, Jimmy Harward, Seth Harward, and Connor Cole. Visitation is 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 28, 2012, at Ruebel Funeral Home on 6313 W. Markham in Little Rock, Arkansas. Burial services are Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at 1 p.m. at Roselawn Memorial Park in Little Rock. Services to honor her life and memory will follow at 2 p.m. at Asbury United Methodist Church, 1700 Napa Valley in Little Rock. Arrangements by Ruebel Funeral Home. Information and guest book at www.ruebelfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, please send an honorarium donation in Jackie?s name to Asbury Christian Children?s Development Center (?ACCDC?) or Asbury United Methodist Church?s Children Ministry.
Mrs. Dyer was my chemistry teacher at Central. I just spoke of her yesterday to a student and former co-worker, about using a method of unit conversion she taught my class...her teaching and humor still resonate with me ("Ooo, ahh, gee the atom is small!").
I'm saddened to learn of her death.
May the Lord bless and keep you.