Math teacher loved music, sewing and quilting
NORTH ANDOVER — Jacquelyn B. (Kocinski) Papia – 87, of North Andover and formerly of Topsfield, and Tonawanda and Buffalo, NY, died Saturday, April 4, 2015 at Sutton Hill Center in North Andover.
Born in Buffalo, NY, she was the daughter of the late Thadeus and Elizabeth (Lipecki) Kocinski. She was the loving wife of her late husband Gerald C. Papia, mother of their two daughters Susan Krzysko and her husband David of North Reading and Linda Schueler and her husband Mark of North Tonawanda, NY and grandmother to the late Paul (P3) Delaney and Corrie Delaney of North Tonawanda. She is also survived by three sisters–in–law, Geraldine Papia, Theresa Papia and Mary Margaret Papia and seven nieces and nephews.
Jackie graduated from University of Buffalo where she met her husband Gerry. She loved to play piano and gave piano lessons in her home as she raised their children. She was also a Brownie Leader for a local troop. As the girls reached high school age, she turned to teaching high school math and obtained her Master’s degree in the process. During this time she also played the organ for her church. In 1976 Jackie and her husband moved to Topsfield so Gerry could continue his career. Here, Jackie substitute taught at the local junior and senior high schools and later worked in an accounting office. In continuing pursuit of her love for music, she played the organ for her church and sang in the Newburyport chorus. Jackie also loved to sew and do crafts. Having learned to sew from her tailor grandfather, she made clothes for her girls when they were young, and later made American Girl Doll clothes which she sold at a local consignment shop. She also loved quilting and needlecraft projects both in human scale and in dollhouse scale. Jackie will be missed by all those who knew her.
Funeral services will be private and there will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in her memory to “Smile Train”, PO Box 96231, Washington, DC, 20090-6231. Arrangements are by Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow St., North Reading, MA. www.croswellfuneralhome.com
