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Jacqueline "Jackie" Roberta Hilleary Marshall Ekberg January 18, 1942 - July 30, 2022 Gilroy, California - On Saturday, July 30, 2022, after battling many health issues, Jackie passed away surrounded by family and friends. She is survived by her daughter Hilleary A. Ekberg, son Michael D. Marshal, her stepdaughter Georgianna "Gigi" L. Ekberg Bluhm, her siblings Teresa A. Hilleary Garcia, John D. Hilleary, Kimela Hilleary, Charles Hilleary, Krista Hilleary-Bowers, Keleen Hilleary, her grandchildren Amanda Bluhm Rommel, Alexandra Bluhm, Ashley Bluhm, Austin Bluhm, and the rest of the large Irish Family and many friends. Jackie is preceded in death by her son James Derek Marshall, her 2nd husband George Earl Ekberg, her sister Pamela Kae Hilleary Mace, her mother Donna Mae Doyle Hilleary, her grandson Brodie James Scott Ekberg, her father John Duane Hilleary, her daughter Robin Danelle Marshall, and her first husband James David Marshall. Jackie was born to John Duane and Donna Mae Hilleary in Lancing, Michigan. Just 6 weeks after the Pearl Harbor attack. As the oldest sibling in a large Irish Catholic family, Jackie was the piler for all her brothers and sisters while they moved around the country and especially in Northern California, while her father served in the Army and her mother was working. When she was in high school, Jackie fell in love with James David Marshall who would become her Husband in 1963, and they would welcome 3 children, James Derek, Michael David, and Robin Donnell. In 1970 Jackie said goodbye to her husband James David after losing his battle with MS. Her last photo with him and the children, was taken in 1970, when he was named "MS Father of the Year" and was published in The San Jose Mercury news. In 1971, Jackie was introduced to the man who would become her 2nd husband and love for the remainder of her life, George Earl Ekberg. In 1973, they were married in a small family ceremony in San Jose, surrounded by their children James Derek Marshall, Georgianna Leola Ekberg, Michael David Marshall, and Robin Donnell Marshall, along with family and friends. In 1975, they welcomed their youngest daughter Hilleary Asenthe Ekberg into their Brady Bunch family. Now with 5 children, her family was complete, but their house was a little crowded. Jackie loved unicorns and you could honestly say that the Unicorn was her spirit animal, because it was her nature as well. She was a fun, kind, and loving soul who always put her family first before herself. Through the years this love and devotion became a haven for her family when they were in need. She would never turn anyone away who needed a place to stay or just a helping hand. In 1977, Jackie moved to Gilroy and into her dream home, which would be her permanent address for the next 45 years. "The Ranch" became a sanctuary for all her family and she would take on the mantel of helping raise not just her children but all her nieces and nephews as well. Jackie was truly at peace on The Ranch, due to her love for animals and her family. Jackie was a big fan of all kinds of sports and entertainment including square dancing, bowling, going to baseball and basketball games; volunteering for Garlic Festival Events, Little League and Pop Warner Team's mom, Elementary School Class Volunteer; or just watching and keeping track of her Golden State Warriors wins. She was also a huge Science Fiction and Fantasy fanatic. You could even say she was a "Trekee" before the term was a coin for fans of Star Trek. She loved to read Louie Lamour's westerns and loved watching all westerns come to life in the movies or on the TV. She was a beautician by trade and owned her Beauty Shop (Continental Coiffeurs) for over 20 years. She loved her work and would volunteer weekly at the nursing homes to help some of her older clientele set and style their hair when they were no longer able to do it themselves. Services will be held on Sunday, September 4, 2022, at Habing Family Funeral home. Services will start at 1 P.M. and all are welcome. A live stream will be available for anyone unable to attend the services. There will be a modern Irish Wake at the family farm in Gilroy immediately following the services.
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