Jacqueline Hope Celestino

Jacqueline Hope Celestino passed away peacefully at her home in Smithtown, NY,
after a short illness on Friday, October 9, 2015. She was a mother, confidant,
counselor, inspiration, grandmother and friend to many and faithful servant to
the community. Outside her family, Jacqueline was happiest in her work, where
she was often the most critical person on the most important day of so many
people’s lives, the day their child was born.

Jacqueline was a registered OB/GYN nurse for 41 years and personally delivered over 500 babies while participating in tens of thousands of births at Southside Hospital, Stony Brook University Hospital and for over 20 years at St. John’s/St. Catherine’s of Siena. Jacqueline was equally beloved by patients, her fellow nurses and
obstetrics doctors. One of her proudest days was her retirement celebration. Every obstetrical doctor at St Catherine’s attended, which was unprecedented. She was as respected by her fellow nurses as she was by the doctors in practice.

Throughout her prestigious nursing career, she received many accolades and service awards. The joy and happiness she received during her years of bringing new life into this world was only surpassed by the joy and love she had for her incredibly large family – from her “initial” children Denise, Karen (and husband Ernie) and Daniel, to her beloved step-children Frank and Louise (and
husband Nick) and Henry (and his wife Jacqueline). Her grandchildren Michael, Jacqueline, Victoria, Nicholas, Marina, Jimmy, Mandy, the late Nicole, Jessie, Jake, Lexi, George and Elizabeth.

Jacqueline was an active member of Holy Cross Parish in Nesconset where she was a Eucharistic minister who worked masses as well as administering communion to home-bound parishioners.

Since being diagnosed with stage four cancer at the beginning of the summer, Jacqueline has experienced what her family has called “a living wake,” received loving friends, family and loved ones daily, reminiscing, laughing, even offering grief counseling about her pending death to some friends. She will be most certainly missed and remembered for generations. God rest her beautiful soul. We shall
meet again.