Marc Salit
Jackie Chase and I worked science jobs together, for decades, at Baxter Healthcare. At one point, our laboratory’s goal was to prevent an infection that affected kidney disease patients, who used a certain dialysis product. The work was tedious, required excellent lab technique, and took a lot of time. But I didn’t mind the tedium or long hours because Jackie Chase was my lab partner, and that made the job as fun as it could be. As most are aware, Jackie was a bright light in everyone’s day. Her humor, which ran from dry wit to very dirty jokes, and her downright niceness, made coming to work almost a pleasure. You’d smile when you saw her, you know. Jackie’s lab skills were top notch and earned her senior authorship on a peer-reviewed scientific paper published in 1986 in the medical journal Infection and Immunity. So Jackie knew her stuff. In the end, our biological approach was beaten out by engineering changes to the dialysis product, that saved the day. In fact, Jackie and colleagues in our excellent microbiology lab, generated the data that supported the engineering change’s FDA approval. The positive impact of reduced infection rates helped thousands of people with kidney failure, to avoid having to go to a dialysis center 3 times a week, by allowing them to do dialysis themselves at home. An invaluable colleague, now an executive, Jackie lit up her coworkers when she shared her joy over Scarlett’s birth to Alli and Matt. She beamed. The happy, proud grandmother spread nachas again when Genevieve decided it was time. Through our long association I’ve known my friend Jackie cherished her life with her beloved husband Steve, and her family. She is missed by those who were fortunate enough to know her. Because to know her was to love her. Peace, dear friend. Our lives were made better by knowing you.