Jaquelin Ambler Turbidy, née Lamond, of St. Simons Island, Georgia, died peacefully July 16, 2025, surrounded by her daughters.
The second daughter of Jaquelin Randolph Smith and Angus Slater Lamond, Jackie (nicknamed Miss Am by her family) was born in 1942 and raised in Alexandria, Virginia, where she attended Saint Agnes Episcopal School for Girls. During her summers, she was an enthusiastic camper at Camp Alleghany in West Virginia.
Jackie received her B.A. in French from Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and earned an M.A. in French and comparative literature from UNC Chapel Hill. She also studied abroad at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and the University of Grenoble in Grenoble, France, further enriching her education and inspiring a lifelong passion for the French language and culture.
Jackie built on this foundation through her employment at a Paris-based law firm directly following her graduate studies and, eventually, as a regular traveler to France. She had numerous stories to share about these adventures, including the travails and wonders of having her car break down next to a famous vineyard in the South of France.
As a committed Francophile, she also introduced French to her daughters at an early age, planting the seeds for the love of languages and later travels together, which culminated most recently in a family barge tour along the Canal du Midi to celebrate her 80th birthday.
Jackie lived in Paris, Washington, D.C., New York City, Rumson (for nearly 30 years), and Saint Simons, Georgia, for just over 20 years. During her time in Rumson, she was an active member of St. George’s-by-the-River Episcopal Church.
She had her own image consulting business for 10 years.
Outside of work, Jackie was very active and shared her love of racquet sports, the outdoors, the beach and community service with her family and friends. Well into her later years, she was blessed with boundless energy. Jackie was a member of the Rumson Garden Club and the Junior League of Monmouth County, and volunteered for F.I.S.H. (For I Shall Serve Humbly), the Monmouth County Historical Association and Planned Parenthood, among other organizations. Mindful of her own privileges and those less fortunate than her, she also engaged in random acts of kindness, such as giving rides to acquaintances without cars and donating gifts to immigrant families in need. She was committed to doing her good deed for the day.
Jackie was also an extremely active member of the Rumson Country Club, the Seabright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club, and the Seabright Beach Club.
Demonstrating prowess with daffodil growth and arrangement, Jackie received numerous awards at flower shows, resulting in her status as a daffodil expert and board member of the National Daffodil Society. As a descendant of Thomas Jefferson, she belonged to the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence and the Monticello Association. She was also involved in the Daughters of the American Revolution, Mount Vernon Chapter, and the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Alexandria division. Following her move to Saint Simons, Georgia, she became a courtesy member of the Brunswick Town Committee (GA) of the Colonial Dames.
Jackie married the love of her life, John B. Turbidy, in 1996. The couple moved from New Jersey to St. Simons Island, Georgia, in 2003. John predeceased her in 2015. In Georgia, she was a member of Christ Episcopal Church, Frederica, the Coastal Symphony Society, the Golden Isles Junior League and the Cassina Garden Club. As a member of two book clubs, Jackie loved to read, especially about topics related to World War II. She enjoyed attending symphony concerts, listening to classical music and watching small theatre productions. She was an enthusiastic bridge player, painter and photographer. Although she only realized her artistic talents later in life, her works were widely showcased throughout the South Georgia area and Sea Bright.
A keen believer in living life to the fullest until the very end, Jackie filled her recent years with travel adventures to Kenya, Japan and the Galapagos Islands and had plans to travel on three more international trips before the end of 2025.
Underneath all of these interests and accomplishments lay a uniquely engaging, humorous, smart woman who cared deeply about others. In her heyday, she put her charm and wit to good use in a variety of contexts, including helping to forge strategic connections between her businessman husband and his business contacts. Later in life, she remained an extremely social person who created community wherever she went. Jackie was content to talk to anyone and everyone. Her generosity, kindness, and fun disposition are already sorely missed.
She is survived by her two sisters, Cary Courier and Lucy Falkenberg, and her brother, Angus Slater Lamond Jr. She also leaves behind her three daughters from her first marriage to Peter Mueller Schluter, Jane Randolph Schluter of Haworth, Charlotte Mueller Bashforth (Paul) of Sanibel, Florida, and Anne Ambler Schluter (Sasha) of Hong Kong. She is further survived by her granddaughter, Lucy Randolph Bashforth, and her three grandsons, Sotirios Randolph Amitsis, Panayiotis Mason Amitsis, and Thomas Mueller Bashforth, in addition to hundreds of friends.
A celebration of Jackie’s life will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. Aug. 3 at Seabright Beach Club.
In lieu of flowers, Jackie requested that memorial contributions be made to the Hospice of the Golden Isles, 1692 Glynco Parkway, Brunswick, GA 31525; Camp Alleghany, P.O. Box 2515, Staunton, VA 24402, or Glynn County Animal Services, W. Harold Pate Building, 1725 Reynolds St., Brunswick, GA 31520.
The article originally appeared in the July 24 – 30, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
