Jacqueline A. (Jacqie) Lucas Merendino Buckminster

Jacqie was born in Long Beach, California on October 12, 1924 to Golda Lillian White Lucas and Clayton Roland Lucas. She passed away on Wednesday, August 25, 2021 after a fall .
She drove until she was 95 and lived in her own home, independently, until two days before her passing. She graduated from John Marshall High School shortly after Pearl Harbor. Her first job was with the U.S. Office of Censorship and in her spare time, she swam in Aquacades and danced in Dinner Theaters. She later went on tour with the George White Scandals as a dancer. Jacqie was engaged to marry her childhood sweetheart, Robert Cosbie, Jr. , a Naval pilot, but he was killed over Chichi Jima in February of 1945.Bob’s parents, Robert and Claire Cosbie, accepted and loved Jacqie as their daughter and she cared for them until their deaths. They also welcomed Jacqie , her husband Sal, and her three children (Dawn, Gari and Marc) into their life and became the children’s Grandparents. After leaving the Scandals, she returned to Los Angeles and went to work for the U.S. Air Force at Lockheed. It was there that he met her husband-to-be Salvatore Merendino, an Industrial Designer. They were married in San Jose, California in 1946 and made their first home in Pasadena, California. They welcomed Dawn in 1947, Gari in 1951 and Marc in 1955. After 18 years of marriage they divorced. Jacqie married again ,briefly, to Stewart Buckminster. She resumed her education at U.S.C. and Citrus College. She went to work for Knudsen Food Products as the Manager of Consumer Relations until her retirement. After retirement she worked for the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese as an Executive Secretary for Bishop Steven Blaire. After five years of employment, she moved to Utah to be closer to her daughter and family. For most of her life, Jacqie was a volunteer for organizations such as Ronald McDonald House, the Catholic Church and the Democratic Party. She was an avid Bridge player and she loved to cook. One of her “most favorite things” was to cook for her family and friends. When she moved to Utah, she joined Friends Unlimited where she made many wonderful friends and served on their Board for 4 years.
Predeceased by her parents, “adopted parents”, and grand-daughter Lindsey Merendino. Survived by daughter Dawn(Frank) Bates, son Gari (Ellen Williams) Merendino and son Marc Merendino; 6 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and brother Jack (Sara) Lucas of Texas.
A memorial Celebration of Life will be held at a future date. Friends and family will be notified prior to that event. Jacqie will be interned at Memorial Mountain View Cemetery in Cottonwood Heights, Utah.