In Memory of Jackie Lind, 1947 – 2023
–Judith Preckshot
Many Guild members who volunteered for the 2015 Midwest Weavers Conference remember Jackie for her expert training, organization, and thoughtful oversight of volunteers as co-coordinator for volunteers that year. What they didn’t see were the many hours of planning, producing multiple spreadsheets, contacting volunteers, and even the washing and ironing of 140 lime-green aprons that helped make the conference so successful. She made use of the skills that she had developed in her professional life, which started out with a degree in elementary education in 1969, then teaching in the Minneapolis public school system and developing course materials for science classes. Having completed a Master of Arts in Leadership in 1994, Jackie went on to spend 26 years in public service with the State of Minnesota Departments of Natural Resources, Energy, Environmental Education, Employee Relations, and Transportation. In her post-retirement career, she served as Volunteer Coordinator for the Airport Foundation at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport.
Jackie bought her first real loom—an 8-harness countermarch floor loom—in 1975, and like most long-term members of the Guild, she never looked back. Her home within the Guild was the Rag Rug Interest Group, where she made many friends and served as a mentor, sharing with them her expertise, research and love of weaving—and sometimes pizza at her home. According to Judy Larson, Jackie left an indelible mark on the group: “For those of us lucky enough to know Jackie, she was an amazing weaver, an organizer extraordinaire, and a history writer. She compiled a complete history of the Rag Rug study group and used her photographic skills to document each project and the monthly show and tell rugs. She wove phenomenal rugs, and incorporated Barbie shoes into her famous “Walk a Mile in my Shoes” rug! Her double binding rug was the inspiration for the Rag Rug’s double binding group project, too. She documented each of her weavings and kept meticulous records. She also had a generous heart and donated her many balls of prepared weft to the vintage rug donation project, which ended up donating 58 rugs when all were woven! She continued to encourage weaving, even after she could no longer weave. She will be missed and fondly remembered! Her contributions to WGM and the Rag Rug group are part of her continuing legacy.”
These accomplishments are all the greater when put in the context of Jackie’s long history of debilitating illnesses. Throughout her adult life, she had to manage the fatigue of Lupus as well as the ravages of Sjogren’s disease, lymphoma, and rheumatoid arthritis. Rather than let these diseases define and limit her, she engaged in volunteerism and outreach that connected her with multiple communities. Jackie was a founding member and president of the Lupus Foundation of Minnesota and served on its board of directors for twenty years. She was also a founding member and officer of the Pressing Iron and Trivet Collectors of America (collecting antique irons was a passion she shared with her mother, along with Hardanger lace work). She served as President of Augsburg Alumni Association and as member of the Board of Directors of the Weavers Guild of Minnesota, and volunteered for Freshwater and Easter Seals-Minnesota, among others. In each of these communities, Jackie made many friends for whom her loss will be deeply felt. A memorial service will be held at a later date.
