Jacquelyn Wonder

1936 - 2019

Jacquelyn Wonder left us on March 1, 2019, after a lifetime of courage, adventure, and accomplishment as an author, teacher, creativity consultant, wife, mother, and grandmother. She leaves behind her devoted husband and love, Frederic K. (Jerry) Conover; sons W. Daniel Mahoney, J. Dugan Mahoney, M.D. (Allison Kempe, M.D.), and E. Donovan Mahoney (Carolyn); stepson Ted Conover (Margot Guralnick); stepdaughters Pam Conover (Jon Adams), Beth Conover (Ken Snyder), and Margo Conover; grandchildren, Philip Mahoney (Rachel), William Mahoney, Patrick Mahoney, Jessica Simmons (Marius), Melissa Mahoney Saville (Scott), Shannon Mahoney, Emily Mahoney (Lonan O'Briain), Maddy Mahoney (Jeremy Bukaty), Lauren Mahoney, Asa Conover, Nell Conover, Bryn Adams (Abby Perrino), Ian Adams, Jeremy Snyder, and Ross Snyder; and great-grandchildren, Cameron, Cason, and Cadon Simmons, Maeve Ruth Ni Bhriain and Collins Mahoney. Jacquelyn was an active mentor and role model to all of her many grandchildren in setting an example for overcoming deprivation, poor health and obstacles and in living a rich, productive, and loving life. Born in Denver, Colorado in 1936, she was a graduate of East High School. She was educated at Colorado State University, Washburn University, University of Wyoming, and the University of Colorado where she earned her B.A. and M.A. degrees. After a successful career as a teacher and consultant, she received her PhD. in Educational Psychology from the University of Denver in 2005. In the meantime, she served as the Director of the Denver Center for Creative Studies and co-authored with Priscilla Donovan three books, all of which dealt with adult thinking and learning styles and listening and memory skills. The books are Whole Brain Thinking (William Morrow, 1984, New York Times Best Seller), The Flexibility Factor (Doubleday, 1989), and The Forever Mind, (William Morrow, 1994). Her books also provided a platform for a consulting career, as Jacquelyn Wonder and Associates, teaching learning skills and creativity to the business world. Her clients included Citicorp, The Dow Company, Road Scholars, RJR Nabisco, MCI Communications, IBM, Hewlett Packard, and The American Bar Association. Her consulting career took her to engagements as varied as Paris, Brussels, Stockholm, Hong Kong, Sydney, Melbourne, Penang, Montreal, Singapore, and Toronto. Jacquelyn's life was marked by a love of adventure and she and Jerry traveled extensively to unusual (and sometimes risky) destinations such as the Soviet Union and People's Republic of China in 1984, Cuba in 1997, Egypt three weeks after September 11, 2001, and Iran in 2009 -- all before travel to those countries was approved by the State Department as safe. Along with Jerry, she was a co-founder of Invest in Kids and a volunteer for the Denver Botanic Gardens and the Gathering Place. She also enjoyed the Colorado mountains and outdoors and was a skilled downhill skier (participating regularly in the Winter Park Wells Fargo ProAm Ski Races from 1979-1990 and being a member of the winning team with Stein Eriksson in 1982). Jacquelyn and Jerry bicycled regularly on trips around the world. She was also dedicated to the practice of yoga for more than 25 years and an active member of the Iyengar Yoga Community. Jacquelyn spent much of the last decade with multiple medical challenges and dealt with them with courage and resilience. She found joy with her family and her garden and never ceased exploring and questioning. Special thanks are given to Jacquelyn's caregivers in the years following her strokes and disability, including Deirdre Corcoran, Sara Reed and Wesley Hill, as well as the talented and caring staff at Clermont Park. Memorial contributions are welcomed in honor of Jacquelyn at either the Denver Botanic Gardens (1007 York Street, Denver, CO 80206) or Invest in Kids (1775 Sherman Street, Suite 2075, Denver, CO 80203). A memorial service will be held at the Denver Botanic Gardens on Saturday, April 6 at 11:00 o'clock in the morning.