Jacqueline Lee (Caryl) Blakemore (91) best known to friends and family as Jacki, went to be with our Lord March 19, 2024.  She was born February 28, 1933 to Fredrick Benjamin (known as Bob) and Carol Leona (Cook) Caryl in Warsaw, New York.  Jacki was raised in Perry, New York and graduated from Perry Central High School in 1950.  She attended Rochester Business Institute in Rochester, New York for two years where she received her certificate of completion.  As a young adult she moved to Detroit, Michigan where she resided until the late 1980’s.  Finding herself with no close family in Michigan she followed a lifelong dream and moved to Florida to be closer to her elderly mother. She remained in Florida until 1993 when she followed her daughter Sherry and youngest sister Marsha to southern New Mexico.  She lived in and around Cloudcroft, New Mexico for the next twenty plus years before moving to Alamogordo for convenience and warmer weather.  Jacki was a devoted cat lover and spent a portion of her retirement house sitting in and around Cloudcroft, caring for the dog and cat family members while the pet parents were out of town. She was involved with a number of groups and organizations in the Cloudcroft and Mayhill area. She was a member of the local chapter of AARP for several years until it closed and wrote many articles concerning the chapter which were published in the local paper.  Jacki also belonged to the Otero County Extension Club and was a member of the Mayhill group.  While a member she began doing plastic canvas crafts which she entered into the local fair winning some ribbons for her work.  Jacki spent many years going to the Cloudcroft Senior Center for meals where she assisted in the bookkeeping and other tasks where needed. Jacki was an avid reader; in most cases she would rather be reading a book than watching TV.

Jacki is preceded in death by her parents Fredrick B. and Carol L. Caryl as well as two brothers-in-law, Lester Woodworth and Terry Slane. She is survived by her daughter Sherry Gill and spouse Gary Yaste of Mayhill, New Mexico. Two grandchildren Robert Irwin spouse Lara of Richmond Virginia, and Andrea Bowden spouse John of El Paso, Texas.  Three siblings, Raymond Caryl spouse Nell of Attica, New York and two younger sisters, Barbara Woodworth of Warsaw, New York, and Marsha Slane of Mayhill, New Mexico. She is also survived by two Great-grandchildren, as well as multiple nieces and nephews. 

Should friends desire, contributions may be made to the Cloudcroft Library or the Cloudcroft Senior Center.

Services will be held on April 13, 2024 at 1 PM, at the First Presbyterian Church of Alamogordo. 1318 14th Street, Alamogordo, NM.  Services will be officiated by Pastor James Baylor.

The Blakemore family has entrusted their loved one to the care of Scenic Chapel for funeral services.