Jacqueline Elass
Jacqueline (Jackie) Elass died peacefully in her sleep on February 18 at the age of 92, in Ashburn, Virginia. She was born on August 11, 1931 to Ralph and Evelyn Jolliffe in Racine, Wisconsin. She spent her early years in two small towns in northern Wisconsin, graduating from New Richmond High School in 1949. She then joined her parents and younger siblings Vonnie and Kirk in Madison, where while attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison she met Majed Elass, a Syrian graduate student on scholarship. Although she knew no Arabic and his English was rudimentary, they fell in love and married on September 6, 1952. Over the course of the next ten years, they had four children, with Majed having taken a job with Aramco in New York in 1956.
As Majed’s career progressed, the family moved to Dhahran in January 1964, with an adventurous Jackie taking such a momentous change in stride as she settled her young family into the Aramco community. Over the course of the next two decades, she forged deep and close friendships with many in Dhahran. She was an active presence at her children’s school and extracurricular activities, whether it be basketball, track, swimming, gymnastics, chorus or scouting and she served as a Girl Scout leader. Jackie was also a cheerful and warm presence within the Dhahran Schools, working in the instructional media center for years. As the wife of an Aramco executive and board member, she comfortably took on the role of hostess when they entertained Saudi government officials and company executives.
In November 1984, she and Majed picked up stakes and settled in McLean, Virginia, as he was tapped to serve as vice president of the Aramco Services Co. office in Washington, D.C. She volunteered with the Northern Virginia Literacy Council, was actively involved in the Ladies of Merrywood within her townhome community and also held board positions on her townhome community’s HOA.
Following Majed’s retirement from Aramco in 1990 and his stint as president and chief operating officer of the Oil Daily Company from January 1991 to June 1993, the couple enjoyed their retirement in McLean until Majed’s death on August 29, 2001. As matriarch of the Elass family, Jackie remained in Northern Virginia with three of her children and four of her grandchildren nearby. She will be remembered by her family and friends for her elegance, unconditional love and sharp sense of humor.
Jackie was predeceased by her parents Ralph and Evelyn and her husband Majed. She is survived by her children, Tareck (Fadwa Hinedi), Mateen (Cindy), Tami and Jareer; grandchildren, Majed, Dara, Adam, Brittany (Joey), Strider (Kelly), Kendall, and Tyler; great grandchildren Keaton, Kadence, Emerson, Ainsley, August and Eden; sister Vonnie and brother Kirk (Nancy); and eight nieces and nephews. Per her request, her ashes will be interred in the same cemetery in Wisconsin where her parents are buried at a future date.
Condolences to the Elass family can be sent to: fourkids@elass.net.