The J.A.C.K. Story

Why the Acronym?

My sister, Cherie, being ten years older than me was doing life and raising boys while I was still in high school. Imagining that we would have children at the same time never crossed my mind.

She had two boys and wanted more kids, but, had this plan to wait until the rest of her younger siblings caught up before bringing more into the world. In the spring of 1988, my sister, Tammie brought a daughter into the world and later that fall, I announced my pregnancy with a due date of June 1989. And as planned, Cherie followed suit and soon said she’d be expecting only a few months later in September.

This was not a time for reveal parties, the babies just revealed themselves at birth. As we both were thinking of girl and boy names, I thought of the name Jaclyn. And my sister swiftly laid claim on it saying she had it picked out years previously, but, had only had boys and that girl name was hers. Being the younger of the two of us and given her experience in child-bearing and my lack of anything to do with having babies, I gave in and she got the “family” name.

This name is from our lineage. My mother’s mother’s name was Berniece Juanita. Therefore, we both liked Jaclyn. Wait, that makes no sense. Of course, it makes no sense. My grandmother apparently was sick as a young girl and she had to have her hair cut very short which made her look somewhat like a boy, so she was given the nickname, Jack. And that is all I know. The only way any of us knew her was as Jack. Grandma Jack. And as luck would have it, Cherie’s last name started with the letter K. And as double luck would have it, our mother, Sally’s middle name started with an “A”. And as triple luck would have it, Cherie’s mother-in-law, Marguerite’s middle name started with a “C”. So, it was meant to be, with two middle names, Jackie’s official name is: Jaclyn Ann Carrie Keithley. She is named after her great grandmother and her, you know, regular grandmothers. It’s pretty cool. It’s very unique. And it’s a beautiful story. And all of those things I just wrote, perfectly describe Jackie. My gorgeous, brilliant, awesome godchild and niece. She goes by Jaclyn or Jackie or Jack, which if you follow Nate Bargatze, could cause turmoil with your ID at airports.

Jackie has a younger sister, Sammie and if you see them together you might suspect they are twins, but, Sammie gets the role of the baby of the family being four years younger.

Our family has always been tight. If you don’t like close familys, our network is not for you. We are loud and fun and just, a lot, I suppose is the best way to describe it for those who prefer the quieter family scene. Growing up, we all took turns sharing parental duties with each other and had sleepovers and rode together and traveled together and played sports together. These kids were in 4-H together, the loved and laughed and fought and cried and learned and swam and ran and baked and sang and played. They lived more as brothers and sisters than as cousins.

Jackie and Cola, being only 3 months apart, were even baptized together. So the tight-knit bonds were quickly and deeply woven from the time they entered the universe. Jackie spent so many days and nights at my house and in my car, that most would assume she was my daughter. Cola was a feature at the Keithley household more times than can even be imagined. It’s just how we rolled.

So after all these years of growing up together, I would have never imagined that I would be in business with both of them along side my sister, Tam. Yet, here we are!

Jackie lived with me for a year back in 2004 / 2005. We had moved from the Hooper area to Elkhorn. Jackie wanted to transfer with Cola to Elkhorn High School (the OG because that’s the only Elkhorn there was way back then). Jackie’s folks weren’t quite ready to make the move and she had to live in the district to go to EHS, so I became her legal guardian to make it all work. She was a freshman and Cola a sophomore and this was one big transition to go from the small Logan View community to what felt like the big city.

Together, and through the glorious fall sport of volleyball, they found their way. They made friends, they adjusted, they had highs and lows and challenges and absolute blasts. They lived life the way you hope your kids get to live it with great moments and struggles and the beautiful wave in between.

Jackie’s talents on the volleyball court and basketball court were quickly noticed by coaches and teammates. She was also amazing as a runner in track, but, the track coaches loved her way more than she loved running ovals. So she hung those shoes up and focused on the two sports she loved most. Jackie just fit in. Even though it was difficult adjusting to leaving friends behind to move here, her vibrant personality and huge heart opened friendships that have endured to this day.

And why all this fuss about Jackie right now? Well, as more luck would have it, it’s Jackie’s 35th Birthday. September 24th. Such a perfect opportunity to highlight this extraordinary human!

Jackie’s life after being an Antler took her to UNK pursuing a degree in Psychology. I think that’s right. Many of us don’t really specifically use or mention our actual degrees unless you have to actually use it for things like teaching or doctoring and such, but, yes, I am going to go with Psychology. UNK days offered up even more wonderful friendships. And if you can imagine, her cousin, Cola was there too. They just couldn’t part following each other around.

And then that all changed. Wait, no it didn’t, that was to throw you off a skosh. But, following those Loper4Life days, Jack returned to Omaha to decide what she really wanted to be when she grew up. She landed herself a position in an avenue she knew well from her part time jobs in high school and college and started working at BLUE Sushi. Or, as we like to say “sushi Blue.” Again the OG. And there she began a journey that would develop her skill set in marketing. Little did she know, it was prepping her for being a dynamic sales person and one of the most masterful at crafting experiences and building relationships. She owned her role there as even more friendships formed within her work circle.

Life thru Her Lens

While this career at Blue was solid, it wasn’t serving her emotional desire for her future. She’d often say, I have no idea what I want to do. And I think that’s true of many people. We are all seeking things and for some it’s crystal clear and for others its clear as mud.

Jackie was ready to break free from the resistance if only she could find the thing that would engage her spirit and help her evolve and well, let’s be honest, pay the bills.

Do know this, that Jackie’s expertise in sushi and bartending is stellar. But, her service when tending to her customers was scond to none. She and Cola even considered starting a business where restaurants and bars could hire them to come in and train their staff on how to actually be an excellent server whether you are behind the bar, working through the kitchen doors or greeting guests at the door. They felt so many places needed this service because they don’t have time to properly train and teach people how to enjoy this role and engage with customers. Unfortunately, for all you business owners in that field out there who need this, they chose to stay in the promo world, but, no doubt they would have kicked some ass and helped a lot of bars and restaurants increase profits and keep employees!

Meanwhile Back at the Ranch…

Both Cherie and I had been through divorces and were navigating the divorced landscape and our sisterhood grew deeper than ever before. In this process, Cola and I had started our own company taking the knowledge of our past , throwing caution to the wind and letting God guide our sails. We started Soul & Swag in June of 2017 and within that first year, our growth was calling for more help. I went to work on a Job Description and I wanted that thing to hit a home run with anyone that would read it. I put forth so much effort to create the ideal description that you’d just be a cotton-headed ninny muggins not to apply.

As I proofed what I had prepared whilst imbibing at a traditional Sushi Blue Happy Hour with my sister (I felt like I should italize that as if it is the title of a book since it always seemed so special and filled with history and stories among the martinis and wine) , I asked our server, which was, of course, Jackie if she would proof read it for me and tell me if she thought it was good and sounded intriguing. When she had a “hot minute,” she came to the table and started reading all about the potential job we were going to offer. After deeply considering what she had just consumed in her thoughts, she cast her gaze my way and said, “Can I apply?” I was taken off guard. I had narrowed my scope. I hadn’t even’t considered this. And right at that moment, my mind took a pivot and I said, “Well of course you can, but, you better talk to Cola first.”

Those are the moments, where you ask yourself, can this relationship transcend all the love and bonds and tightness and disagreements and challenges and honesty to say - hey - let’s work together and run a business together. Upon further conversations, and some new vision that would look differently than just being roommates and cousins, this would be a business life and partnership and with one giant leap, we all said yes and Jackie filled the fourth chair in my tiny second bedroom office. And we never looked back. She grabbed the opportunity and we started seeing another side of her that the world had been waiting for!

It Is What It Is

I always could see the light and passion that Jackie carried in her soul. She has this special gift. It’s something that isn’t always easy to describe because it’s something you just feel when you get to have someone like Jackie in your life. It’s her heart and her genuine self. Her ability to lay out our her vulnerabilities and her love while giving you every honest part of her mind. She’s just one of those humans who cares deeply.

If you are one of her clients, you know this. You feel it, and you see it through her work. And man, do I feel fortunate to work with such an incredible team. The talent and brilliance impresses me daily. We are truly blessed.

While Jackie has championed her career because she’s always eager to learn and grow as a human, I saw another incredible transformation as she decided to whip her ass into shape. 2020 may have done no favors to some people’s workout routines, but, for Jack, she chose to make a move and move she did. Her fitness routine and dedication to a healthier eating life changed her. Not only did she get sexier on the outside, she got sexier on the inside. Now, don’t get me wrong, she eats some weird stuff that Cola might liken to weeds in the forest, but, we all could stand to gain some of Jackies regimens. She’s even looking into some teaching and working on her YOGA practice and we’re all loving that for her and us.

Perhaps her choice to take care of herself was another way of preparing her for something she never expected nor ever wanted to have to do.

My sister, Cherie, Jackie’s mom, was diagnosed on October 17, 2022 with a glioblastoma. A brain tumor. There’s not a rhyme or reason for them. They simply call it “bad luck.” Within days, they would do surgery and on that same scheduled surgery day, Jackie and Cola and all their friends were heading to a funeral for one of their very good friends who had just died of the very same thing. The irony was ugly and the question of why and how and anything else you can think of was felt. It didn’t feel real and yet, we remained hopeful.

The results of surgery allowed for some good news for a while. They couldn’t get everything, but, it certainly revived Cherie’s personality and we could see the comeback in her eyes and the reflection in her smile. As Jack , Sam and I listened to the oncologist discuss the treatment plan, we could only pray that there would be time and miracles.

Well, time is what you make it and thankfully we made the most of it because Cherie was just so darn awesome. She took on the chemo and the process and the whole thing like a rock star. And along the way, I watched my nieces grow and change as their beautiful momma ever so slowly declined. By January of 2024, Jackie had a plan to move into Cherie’s house to help care for her and Sammie, being a nurse, expecting her first baby and living only a couple miles away would be there when ever she could. We flipped our plans, we changed our story, we called the audible and Jackie turned into one of the most compassionate care givers in the world. Now, understand, that she would do anything to save a baby squirrel so, her natural nurturing makes sense.

The stress and strain on those caring for a sick loved one is a lot and while you may always ask how the person is doing who is ill, never forget about the ones behind the scenes.

While Jackie worked from Cherie’s house through the end of winter and into spring, she kept up with her selfcare and MYLO work. She was doing it all and I was in awe of her sacrifice and grace. Her maturity to endure all of this while enjoying moments with her sweet mama gave such joy to my soul.

As we celebrated Sammie in late April with a baby shower at Cherie’s house, we loved every moment and Cherie got to see so many friends and family and it was remarkable. And right after that, things changed. The bed became her home and movement was limited. Jackie’s strength alongside her sister was phenomenal. Not just emotional strength, but, the physical work it took to do this. And just when we felt like Cher might be at peace to end this life journey, tragedy struck out of the blue as Jackie’s dad, Randy, died of a heart attack on the 5th of May. Watching this family hit so hard was more than you feel like you can handle. Faith grew deeper still.

Jackie brought even more life and love to caring for her mom as she made a slight turn for the better for a while. It was as if Cher was giving time to her kids to grieve and she just kept hanging in there. At last on May 20, the day after Randy’s celebration of life, Cherie took the stairway to heaven. I have watched my nieces quickly become women that are broken yet empowered. In mourning while seeing a new light. And forever changed in their faith and I am inspired by their resilience and blessed to be their aunt.

Within a few weeks of this, Sammie delivered a health baby boy and Jackie was right there with her. A champion like her momma.

I’ve talked a lot about luck in this story. Both good and bad. And I find luck is all around us. Wrapped up in faith. If we are open to seeing it that way. As I look at Jackie welcoming her 35th birthday and her fiance, Brett, I thing of how dang lucky we really are to have each other. The growing and learning lasts a lifetime. You definitely want to have people like Jackie to get through anything life dishes our way.

While she no longer has her parents right here on earth to celebrate with her on this very special day, she has their spirit in her because she has chosen to work on her healing. Navigating life is hard and her’s went into an unexpected detour full of rocks no one wants to climb. And through all of this, she’s been teaching me a lot of lessons and I love when the the children become the mentors. If you want to know how to live a fulfilling life, Jackie is the one to seek out. Her humor will make you laugh till you cry and her unending joy will always prevail amid the heartaches. She’s taught me to feel the pain and tears when they are there and let yourself talk through it and breathe through it. She’s so centered, it’s remarkable.

Friends Forever

Jackie-isms are something quite common in our studio space or anywhere you are with her in your midst. Call it naive, or casual or whatever you want to call it. You can’t replicate it. Her subtle humor shows up often and mostly unintentional. The after effect, however, is ridiculously funny. And even after she realized what she may have just said, she takes no offense, she only laughs right through it without a care in the world. I document as much of it as possible. Nothing is ever quite as funny as the intial moment, but, reliving it in my mind by rereading it in my notetaking is always worthwhile. I’ll let you all know if I create a small published journal of all the Jackie-isms I’ve collected thus far. I feel sad about all the ones I forgot to write down, but, there are many and they are a hoot worthing hearing and far more that will continue to come our way. I can’t wait.

One of the things I’ve loved seeing evolve as Jackie has worked on her healing journey is how she has truly embraced the woman she was meant to be on this earth. She’s recognized the strength within herself. She’s acknowledged that her wisdom and goodwill and kindness are valuable to those who are truly worthy of receiving them. And she knows that her empathy that sits in her top five strengths is a gift, not a curse.

And if you are like me and have a daughter that never had a sister, you hope she will find a friend or a cousin to fill that gap because sisterhood, especially within the dynamic of friends, family, and loved ones, is about an unspoken bond of trust, loyalty, and unwavering support. It’s the shared understanding that, no matter the circumstances, you are each other's safe space—lifting one another up during hardships, celebrating wins, and championing each other’s dreams. It means being present, even when words aren't needed, offering love without judgment, and inspiring each other to grow and succeed. It’s a circle of strength where every woman roots for the other, and in doing so, they all rise higher together.

If you have Jackie in your sisterhood, then you are living life to the fullest. I feel like I hit the jackpot and I’m so grateful that my sister, Cherie knew that J.A.C.K. was meant to be who she was and there could have never been anyone else with the name of Cola and her waiting for me to catch up to have babies was a blessing beyond my wildest dreams. I love you Jack - Happy #35!