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Who was Jacky to Kimmy Snabric?

Jacky was not only a helper, advisor, and an admin for Kimmy Snabric from the start, but she became a dear friend! She and I would spend hours chatting by Facebook messenger, even late into the night and wee hours of the morning. I often found myself not getting a whole lot done because I was doing more talking than sewing.

She was wise beyond her years. Even though I was only eight months older than Jacky, I always thought to myself “If I want to be something when I ‘grow-up’, I want to be like Jacky.” She was such a loving and caring person and it showed. She was always quick to offer words of encouragement, give a kind word to people, and was always very willing to lend her help in any way she could. Whenever I needed a second opinion on something sewing or snap related, Jacky was always my go-to person.

I often marveled at Jacky’s talents. Talent was something Jacky did not lack. She took all her own photographs, even the ones she posed in and you would never have known it. She was super talented at sewing and was always learning how to do new things and would pass her knowledge along to others. She was an advocate for keeping it “green” and was always designing new products to cut back on wastage.

Neon, Jacky LOVED neon colors! You could never get bright enough for Jacky. She loved bright cheery colors and patterns, just like she was. She always reminded us that "Neon is a neutral color." She was not afraid to piece a bunch of random colors and patterns together. I, and many others, always thought she was crazy because none of the fabrics she picked out ever went together. They didn’t go together until Jacky put them together and then they would miraculously go together as if they were created to go together! It always blew me away how she always pulled it off. Jacky danced to the beat of her own drum and danced well she did!

Jacky will be terribly missed by myself, and many others. Her memory will be carried on in the hearts of all those that loved her.

Remember Jacky…

In loving memory of:

Jacquelyn Marie Leader

June 21, 1987 - September 4, 2020

Obituary written by her loving parents:

After a lifetime of chronic illness, Jacky’s heart couldn't fight the pain and the system any longer. The world lost a shining star. She wanted to be normal but it was impossible because she was extraordinary.

Jacky spent her life making the world a better place. She was fluent in ASL and was on the Dean's List. She filled our home with beautiful pottery, and healthy food. She started sewing when she heard that girls in Africa were missing school because they needed personal hygiene products. She made and sent 50 pads to Mighty Girls. Her friends saw what she was doing and insisted that they, too, needed her quality, unique pads. Her business, Leader Seaming, ( which she referred to as her ‘baby’ ) blossomed and grew into reusable bags of all types and sizes. She felt she was making an ecological difference one bag at a time and all the while being 99% waste free.

Her business supported her love of quilting. She was self taught and knew no fear when it came to mixing bright colors and patterns. She created a method of English Paper Piecing which allows sewists to quilt without hand stitching. Her talent attracted several fabric companies and she became their design consultant and social media influencer.

The entire time she was creating art, she was collecting friends from all over the world. She was a very active member of Quilting Unites Us, being everyone’s cheerleader and mentor. She sprinkled love like fairydust.

Jacky loved her family most of all. She is survived by her parents, Mark & Gayl Leader, her brother, Michael, whom she fiercely loved, and his wife Kristina. Jacky’s niece and nephews were the light of her life. Marcus, Charlotte and Mitchell will forever miss their sweet Aunt Jacky. Like everyone whose life she touched, they will be better people for having loved her. Jacky was always accompanied on her ventures by her fur friends, Casey Jo and Emma Joy.

There is rarely a picture of her quilts that doesn’t include one of her quilt inspectors. Jacky has left us with many words of wisdom; she wanted us to love others without judgment, try new things, and eat healthy, Most of all, remember that neon is a neutral color.

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