Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory

Jacqueline Catherine Kessler, “Jacquie” to friends and family, passed away July 27, 2023 after a series of pulmonary-related health issues.  Born July 20, 1947 in Baltimore, MD, to parents, the late Dorothy Catherine Crawford and John Wesley Crawford, she lived in Maryland her entire life.
She was married to her high school sweetheart, David Kessler for 58 years, residing in Lothian, MD for 39 years in the home they designed and built together, with the help of their family and friends.  This home has been the hub of her family.
In addition to her husband, Jacquie is survived by her daughter, Debi Kessler-Smith; three grandsons, Christopher Monnett, Michael Monnett, and Markus Smith; and four great-grandchildren, Alyssa Monnett, Brooke Monnett, Caiden Monnett, and Logan Smith.  She is also survived by her younger siblings, John Crawford, Jr. and Terri Crawford.  It was her greatest joy to visit her extended family in Florida and see the ocean once more just before her passing.
She loved to plant flowers and tend to her hummingbirds every spring through fall.  She enjoyed horseback riding on her horse, Dakota and she loved her dogs, Sam and Bandit.  She enjoyed any movies with horses as an element of the plot.  She avidly watched her favorite home improvement shows to find ideas for her own home.  She sewed and read as her hobbies.  She also attended classic car shows and car club meetings with her husband, cruising in David’s 1966 Pontiac GTO, going to Ann’s Dairy Creme for hot dogs, just as they did when they were teenagers.  She previously owned a classic 1966 LeMans that she named “Lemon Drop”.
She was creative and in earlier years she ran a small home-based business with her father and daughter, creating Americana wood décor and small furniture before her career with the Prince George’s County Government, from which she retired.
Jacquie loved “treasure hunting” at antique and thrift stores, collecting milk glass décor and other collectibles.  She enjoyed finding these treasures with her daughter and friends, frequently stopping for lunch near the water.  Jacquie loved the beach and ocean and the cruise she took to the Bahamas with her daughter was one of her favorite trips, seeing the beautiful blue clear waters of the Caribbean.
Family, friends, and neighbors are welcome for an evening to share memories of Jacquie on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, beginning at 6:00 pm, at her family home in Lothian. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the <a href="https://action.lung.org/site/Donation2?df_id=31272&mfc_pref=T&31272.donation=form1&msclkid=2d10d015c58e1287a2c4b4d0f1a76df1">American Lung Society</a> on her behalf.  Online condolences may be offered using the Memories tab on this page.


Jacqueline Catherine Kessler

Jacqueline Catherine Kessler

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