Jacqueline Ann deBrabander

Jacqueline Ann deBrabander passed away on Wednesday, February 26th, 2025 at Christiana Hospital, Newark, DE. She was 86 years old.

Jackie was born in Shenandoah, PA to John Wesley and Leona Marie (Swatski) Henrie on April 6, 1938, the oldest of four children. As a child, Jackie was an avid reader, a horse lover and enjoyed traveling and having adventures with her family like Pennsylvania amusement parks and New York City shows. Jackie graduated from Mt. Carmel Catholic High School in 1956 where she was the lead in the senior play and editor of the school newspaper.

In 1957, Jackie moved to Wilmington, DE in search of opportunity. She married Camiel deBrabander on April 30, 1960. They bought a home in Pleasant Hills Estates in Newport, DE and raised two sons there. Once the boys were in school, Jackie started work at Sears Prices Corner where she remained for many years.

Jackie was an exceptional gardener. She started off with some simple foundation plantings and ended with a large perennial garden, a vegetable garden, a rose and hydrangea garden and a host of impressive annual pots. As her passion grew, she furthered her horticultural education through classes at Longwood Gardens as well as through books and lectures. She became so knowledgeable that she eventually worked at Mt. Cuba Center in Hockessin as a docent, which she truly loved. She was especially interested in conservancy and native plants and enjoyed the opportunity to share her knowledge with the visitors to the center.  

Jackie had a keen interest in travel and learning about world cultures since she was a young girl. She started traveling in her early 50s and was able to visit Hawaii, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Australia and New Zealand, South Africa and Zimbabwe, Fiji, Aruba and much of Europe as well as extensive travel within the US. 

Jackie was predeceased by her husband, Camiel, her brother, David Henrie, and her sister, Diane Galleshaw. Jackie is survived by her sons – John deBrabander (Christine) and Ed deBrabander (Laurie); her granddaughters – Kathy Clark, Julia deBrabander, Elizabeth deBrabander and Rachel deBrabander; and her beloved sister and forever best friend, Marilee Mullett.

A memorial service to celebrate Jackie’s life will be held at Doherty Funeral Home, 3200 Limestone Road, Wilmington, DE on Saturday, March 22nd at 11:00 am. Visitation will begin at 10:00 am.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Delaware Center for Horticulture or the First State Ballet Theater.

The family would like to thank Marge Kafader for her kind care over the last year and the medical staff at Christiana Hospital for their heroic efforts.

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