Jacqueline “Jackie” Sue Lochridge O’Daniel DeFoor passed away on October 26, 2026, following several months of declining health. She was born in Dalton, Georgia, on September 20, 1938, and graduated from Dalton High School in 1956.

Jackie was a lifelong lover of books and family history. Her grandfather, Austin Smith, taught her to read when she was just four years old, sparking a love of reading that remained with her throughout her life. Eighty-four years later, she was still finding joy in the pages of a good book.

For several decades, Jackie owned and operated The Bloomin’ Bookshelf, a used and rare bookstore, that became an important part of her life. She first opened the shop at Gordon Hill Shopping Center in Calhoun, Georgia, where it remained from 1972 to 1984. In 1984, she moved to Elizabethton, Tennessee, where she continued sharing her love of books until 2005.

Beyond her love of reading, Jackie was passionate about uncovering the mysteries of her family’s past. She delighted in tracing her ancestry, searching for long-lost relatives, and discovering the stories of those who came before her. Her greatest hope was that, after death, she would be reunited with all those she had loved during her lifetime, as well as the many ancestors she had never had the opportunity to meet. She will be laid to rest in Harrison, Arkansas, alongside several generations of her mother’s family.

Jackie was preceded in death by her parents, Evelyn and Earl Lochridge; her son, Michael O’Daniel; her sister, Sharon Campbell; her first husband, Arthell O’Daniel; and her second husband, Otto “Bear” DeFoor.

She leaves behind her son, Patrick O’Daniel, and his wife, Edith; her daughter, Sarah DeFoor; and her grandchildren, Austin O’Daniel, Amber O’Daniel, and Maxwell O’Daniel.

Her legacy continues through her great-grandchildren, Bryson Jeffers and his wife, Sheryl; Blake Bailey; Brady O’Daniel; Aidan Fletcher; and Lillian Wofford; as well as her great-great-granddaughters, Xoe and Noelle Jefferss.

In keeping with the family’s wishes, there will be no public service. The family plans to gather for a private remembrance once everyone can be home together, including those serving in the military.

Jackie leaves behind a legacy of stories discovered, books treasured, and family connections cherished. May she find the reunion she so deeply hoped for, surrounded by generations of loved ones who have gone before her.