Jacqualine Darleen (Nersion) Sexauer was born on March 12, 1925, in Valley Springs, South Dakota, to Edna (Schafer) Nerison and Henry Nerison. She passed away almost 99 years later, on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, in Sioux Falls with her beloved sister Arlette and other family members by her side — while watching one of her favorite football teams.
In between was a glorious adventure! She was known for her beauty, style, infectious laugh, playful, adventurous nature and ability to bring elegance to everyday life while making everyone feel welcome and comfortable in her home. She was a loving wife and mother, brilliant hostess, skilled chef, with impeccable taste but never stuffy. She especially excelled as a grandmother, and all the grandkids thought she made the best Christmas cookies in the world.
Little Jackie grew up in Sioux Falls, where her beloved father taught her to drive at the age of 12. She was good at it and loved to drive from that day on. She graduated from Washington High School and then studied at Augustana University in Sioux Falls.
At just 19, Jacqualine married Gordon Cross and in March of 1945 had a son, Thomas, not long after her husband was killed in action in WWII.
Jackie’s loving parents helped her through that difficult time and convinced her that she could learn to love again. She wasn’t expecting it when she went to visit her sister at South Dakota State University, but while walking across campus, a tall man with a confident air stopped in front of Jackie and said, “I think I want to know you.” Jackie, feeling a bit prim and proper, said she was not interested. But two weeks later, they ran into each other again, and when he asked if he could just talk to her outside of his fraternity house, she said yes.
It was a match made in heaven. Robert S. Sexauer and Jacqualine were married on March 10, 1952, in Sioux Falls. He immediately adopted her 7-year-old boy, Tommy, and they started their amazing life together.
Robert succeeded his father as president of The Sexauer Company in 1953 — the third generation to run this feed and seed business.
He loved to fly and earned his instrument rating, logging more than 10,000 hours of flying adventures during their life together. Jackie loved to ride shotgun and was never afraid of heights or aerobatics.
The couple always enjoyed entertaining friends and family at their home in Brookings, South Dakota, and at their cabin on Green Lake in Minnesota. Later, they discovered Litchfield Park, Arizona, where the winters were mild and the golf courses green. They loved their life there so much, Robert was able to convince many friends to move there, too.
Jackie was very involved with PEO and the Art Center at South Dakota State University. Her other passions included golf and football. In fact, she was such a football fan, she refused to attend Super Bowl parties to avoid being distracted from focusing on the game.
She was preceded in death by her husband Robert and her son Robb. She is survived by her children Barbara Sexauer Richardson of Scottsdale, Arizona, and Tom Sexauer of St. Petersburg, Florida; her sister Arlette Scherschligt of Sioux Falls; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends. Special gratitude goes out to her nieces and nephews, who took loving care of Jackie in her final years: Stephanie Scherschligt Joyce and Jeffrey, Kevin and Scott Scherschligt.
The family will be holding private services. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be directed to Cottey College, which benefits the good work of her lifelong membership in PEO.
To make a donation to Cottey College, visit: https://cottey.edu/give/.