The Gift of Jackie Howe

Sometimes paying off your friends is the right move.

That is what I, Jerry Howe, did way back when at a Halloween party at the Jimmy Daze club. I was dressed as the Grim Reaper and had laid eyes on this beautiful woman across the room. I gave her friend, Leslie, $5 to introduce me to her. And so it began.

For the next six years, we traveled together, went to concerts together and even had college classes together. We grew to love each other and became inseparable. I asked her to marry me in Times Square on the big electronic billboard.

We got married in April of 1989, and began our journey together. Of course, we went on many adventures together and always had a great time. I am so grateful for finding this beautiful woman. She is selfless, fun-loving and relentless. 

Jackie is my world. We have an amazing love for each other, which has grown over these years and continues every day. We have created an incredible life together. I live in gratitude every day.

It is one thing to be married to an exceptionally wonderful woman, but it is another thing to truly realize how good you have it. I know that my wife is the most beautiful woman and most incredible mother. The good Lord has truly blessed me. He has also blessed us with four beautiful children, Zack, Dakota, Ava and Julia. 

I’m kind of a wear-my-heart-on-my-sleeve guy, so I’m holding back the tears as I’m writing. The journey is incredible, and I never want to get off the ride.

“I’m kind of a wear-my-heart-on-my-sleeve guy, so I’m holding back the tears as I’m writing. The journey is incredible, and I never want to get off the ride.” – Jerry

By The Howe Kids

We know just how great of a wife our mother is to our father, and we certainly know just how great of a mother she is to us. Mom is the strongest woman we know, and she never fails to show us that each and every day. She not only is a mother to four children, but she is an amazing wife who has a handful of obstacles thrown her way. Her strength is admirable, and she handles each obstacle with grace and fierce determination.

Raising four children is not the easiest thing in the world to do, especially considering there is an 11-plus year age gap between Zack and Julia, but she somehow made it look easy, and continues to do so. Mom has unwavering support for each of us, she knows what is best for us and she makes many self-sacrifices to give us everything we could ever want or need.

“My mom is my biggest supporter,” Zack said. “She is the most giving person that I know.”

Mom is our biggest role model and has enabled us to be our truest selves.

“From the beginning, she was never someone who forced ideas on us,” Ava said. “She guided us and aided us. We were able to be our true selves and she was always there to support us no matter what. My parents always said, ‘It’s your life; you can do what you want; we will always be here to love and protect you.”

Christina says, “She has been a role model for me by showing me exactly how I want to be a mother and a true example of a loving wife.”

Mom continues to be an example for all of us, in every aspect of life.

Mom is all about the celebrations. She loves to make a big deal out of special moments in everyone’s lives.

“Celebrating things has been a big thing for us,” Zack said. “She loves finding things to celebrate. Life, graduating, birthdays and every major milestone. Every time we get together, we treat it as a celebration.”

Christina added, “She has been a mother figure to me over the last decade but has been an even better friend to celebrate with, whether it’s at the round table at the restaurant or on the beach sipping White Claws.”

And just as she celebrates every major moment with us, Mom is there for us when we need her the most. As Ava mentioned, we each have our own problems that we deal with in our separate lives, but no matter what any of us are going through, Mom is always there for us.

Julia says the same. “I admire my Mom’s ability to have the answer to any problem I have in my life. I can count on her for whatever is thrown my way.”

Dad knows she is always in his corner in life. We all would be lost without her.

“She is the best listener,” Ava said. “She will let you talk. Mom will never put a negative spin on what you are saying. She won’t berate you for doing something wrong.”

During Dakota’s first years of college, he would call and chat with Mom for hours a day. She was always there to listen to him and be a lifeline while away at college. They bond over their passion for food and home cooked recipes. Mom is not only there for the big questions and problems in life, but for every small moment. Something as simple as how long do I put the Sunday gravy on the stove for.

Aside from being an amazing mother and wife, Mom loves to spend time in nature, whether it is by the pool with Coco, or kayaking in Harriman with Dad. She loves to sit on the beach with a drink in hand surrounded by the people who love her most in life.

“She’s the number one Pina Colada judge,” Christina says.

And we all know if the Pina is Mom approved, we all need one in our hands.

Mom has raised us all to be independent people who all have different passions in life. We wouldn’t be the people we are today without her unconditional love and support. Mom is our rock, our backbone and she is the sole reason we are who we are today.