Jacqueline Taylor Wattenberg

Jacqueline Taylor Wattenberg died peacefully Nov. 12, 2024 in her Melrose MA home, just shy of 102 years. A linchpin and role model for family and friends, she wore many hats: social-justice and anti-war activist; arts and restaurant critic; voice and writing teacher; slice-of-life essayist; performer of song and drama; fan of actual quirky hats (berets to wooly-knits). A devoted mother and full partner in marriage, she brought creativity, commitment, humor, and character to her family. A Julliard graduate who believed anyone could sing, she willed people who’d never sung a note to produce lovely tones. A native of Buffalo, Jackie launched her writing career at age 27 as art and music critic at the Buffalo Evening News, where she met her husband, Morris Wattenberg. Her free-lance articles appeared in the Oak Leaves (Oak Park, IL), Melrose Free Press, Melrose Mirror, Chicago Daily News, and the Buffalo News. She and her husband self-published Chicago’s Domino Page magazine (1980’s). Among her arts credits: Marshall Field’s Choral Society and MacDowell Society performances; Showboat’s Julie, and title role in The Typist (community theater); Melrose’s Beethoven Society’s program co-chair. As advocate, she: started a reading school for low-income teens at Chicago’s Third Unitarian Church (1970’s); conducted theater programs for high-schoolers (1960s); self-published We’ve Got to Stop our Wars--or Else! (2008); wrote and directed local plays for peace; and engaged in Unitarian-Universalist social-justice programs. She taught writing into her 90’s, most recently at Malden Senior Center. She sang all her life. Her final years were profoundly enhanced by: Mystic Valley Elder Services; Metropolitan Home Health Services’ extraordinary care team, including emigrees from Haiti, Kenya, and Ethiopia who shared their values of family, education, and spirit; Tufts Medicine Care at Home; thoughtful medical providers at Tufts, Brigham, and MGH; and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ elder supports. Jackie/‘Bebe’ will be missed by: daughter Melissa Wattenberg and son-in-law Ric Amante, Melrose; daughter Valerie Wattenberg, Brooklyn, and partner Julian Plested; grandson Vincent Ularich and grand-daughter-in-law Kelley Holley, Rochester, NY; generations of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Among those gone before her: husband Morris; parents Martha (Gnossa) and William P. Taylor; sister Lois Ward and husband Elmer, Santa Ana, CA; brother William Taylor and wife Evelyn, Paradise, CA. Gifts in her memory may be made to: Doctors without Borders; World Central Kitchen; Southern Poverty Law Center; National Immigration Law Center; First Book; Mystic Valley Elder Services ((www.mves.org). Services to be held at First Parish in Malden, Unitarian Universalist, 2 Elm Street: Sunday Dec. 1—Reflection on her Life —gathering 2:30pm, Service 3:00, memories/reception after. Saturday Jan. 11—Celebration of Life, Sanctuary Service 3:00pm, followed by reception.