Jacquelyn Neuharth

Jacquelyn Neuharth, 92, passed away September 23, 2025 at her home in Aberdeen, SD.

She was born to Jack Woods and Maxine (Morledge) Woods on December 10, 1932 in Clayton, New Mexico. The family lived in Las Vegas, New Mexico until she was four. They moved to Phoenix, Arizona where she started school. Toward the end of second grade, they moved back to Clayton, New Mexico. A substitute teacher once asked if she had a shorter name. She admitted most people called her Jacquie much to the relief of that teacher and anyone else who tries to spell her name.

Her grandmother Morledge, known as Ma'me, was a talented seamstress and artist. She started Jacquie sewing at an early age. Ma'me gave her a manikin doll with four Simplicity patterns for the doll but also matching patterns in her size. She learned to sew well and if it wasn't done correctly, she learned how to rip it out and do it again. This skill served her well as she later worked as a tailor, and was a seamstress throughout her life. Ma'me was a talented oil painter as well and she passed an interest in all forms of art on to Jacquie. She won the National Junior Dress Division of the Make It Yourself With Wool during her senior year.

She graduated from Clayton in 1950 and attended Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, CO graduated with BS in General Arts and Sciences. She was involved in competitive square dancing and a sorority.

Jacquie married Vance Benson of Keldron, South Dakota. They had three children, Jeff, Michelle, and Scot and lived on a ranch/farm in Sioux County, North Dakota near Vance's childhood home. After divorcing she attended Black Hills State College in Spearfish, SD to attain teaching certificates and a degree in social studies and art.

She moved to Highmore, SD in 1970 where she taught art in the country schools, art and many different subjects in the town elementary and high school. She married Don Neuharth of Harrold. Jacquie was involved with a variety of clubs and activities of her children and students. In 1985 she received a position with the Department of Defense Dependent School Systems (DODDS) and taught at the AT Mahan High School on the US Naval NATO Air Base in in Keflavik, Iceland. Jacquie earned a Masters degree from Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri while teaching for DODDS. She returned to Clayton in 1997 to help her aging parents and co-manage Rockledge Ranch.

Jacquie returned to the States every summer to catch up with family and friends. During her years in Iceland, she had the opportunity to travel the globe. Much of the travel was for school workshops or with chaperoning students. London was a two-and a half hour flight from Iceland and a gateway to Europe and beyond. She visited Baharan, India, the Greek Isles, Africa, Russia, most of Europe and eventually Japan. Jacquie moved to the Dakotas to be with family in 2023. She enjoyed music, reading, creating things by hand, dancing, her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and many lifetime friends she made in her travels and during her career.

Jacquie was preceded in death by her mother Maxine Doitchinoff, stepfather Doitchin Doitchinoff and her father Jack Woods and stepmother Honey Woods, J.W. Heringa, her loving companion of 11 years and Vance Benson, the father of her children.

She is survived by her son Jeff (Wanda) Benson of Bismarck, ND, and their children Skyler, Tristan and Riley (Elizabeth) all of Fargo, ND, daughter Michelle (Randy) Bacon of Aberdeen, SD, their daughter Leigh (Ben) Wagner of Lubbock, TX and their daughters (Addison, Randi, Gwen and Colette) and their son Eric Bacon and Brooke Huber of Aberdeen, son Scot (Amy) Benson of Newcastle, WY, their son Brody (Taylor) Benson and their son Boone, and their son Brandon (Fallon) Benson of Champaign, ILL.

The family extends their gratitude to the staff of Davis Court Retirement Community in Aberdeen. Thank you to the many friends and business associates of Jacquie and Rockledge Ranch in Clayton, New Mexico where her true heart lies.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30am on November 8, 2025, at Spitzer-Miller Funeral Home in Aberdeen, SD and internment in Clayton, NM at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Herzstein Memorial Museum, 22 S 2nd St, Clayton, NM 88415 or the Clayton Arts Council, P.O. Box 623, Clayton, NM 88415 or the Clayton Methodist Church, Drawer M, Clayton, NM 88415.