Jacqueline De Lysle Horvath

03/25/1927 - 11/23/2024

Jacqueline Horvath, age 97, beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother, and an inspiration and mentor to so many, passed away peacefully Saturday, November 23, 2024 at her apartment at Fox Hill in Bethesda, surrounded by family and friends.

Jacqueline was born in Enfield North Carolina, on March 25, 1927, where she grew up with her Mom Elsie DeLysle. She grew up fascinated with gardening and travel, and also developed a voracious appetite for reading and learning from her mother and grandparents. She attended East Carolina University, and later moved with her Mom, to the Washington, DC area during World War 2.

There she met her soon to be husband, Selden Brooke Farren, a Navy man who had just returned from the Pacific, and after their courtship, were married in 1948. Together they had four children; Susan, Richmond, Christopher, and Jacqueline. She and Brooke raised their new family in the comfortable suburbs of Kensington Maryland. Brooke owned and ran Bell Laundry and Dry Cleaners, while Jacqueline was very active in many school and civic activities. Always the ultimate hostess, their house was the place to be for parties and holidays.

In 1965, She and Brooke bought one of the very first townhomes built in Ocean City Maryland, and the next 20 years were filled with sand, surf and crabs as the family spent all their weekends and summers there. Ocean City was a place that would prove to be very significant in her life and the rest of the family's upbringing and makeup, as 3 of her 4 children ultimately bought homes there, and it was a place she loved and still visited regularly until her death.

Soon after the sudden death of Brooke in 1977, Jacqueline resiliently dove into the day to day running of Bell Laundry, with the able help of her eldest son Rick. Never one to succumb to a challenge, through hard work and determination, she successfully ran Bell Laundry until she sold it in 1983.

She then met her 2nd husband, Alexander Horvath, and the two fell in love and were married in 1982. This adventurous couple built a home in Naples Florida, and split their later years together between Washington, Naples and travels all around the world.

The final chapter of her life was spent at Fox Hill, where Jacqueline remained extremely active and engaged until the end. She lead the dining club, gardening club and the bridge club. Jacquie could be seen everywhere and made friends with everyone at Fox Hill. She was a tornado of energy, life and style in a 5 foot package, and her bright light shined right up until the very end. She was a one of a kind, and will be missed by all that knew her.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that any donations be made to the JSSA Hospice. No services are scheduled at this time.