Jacqueline Lee Brandstein, a beloved mother, sister, cousin, and friend, passed away peacefully on the evening of October 31, 2026, at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. She was 88. She was comforted at the end by her sons and did not suffer.

Jacqueline was born in Chicago on September 21, 1938, to Morris (Moshe) and Sylvia (Hinda Tsirl) Gershuny, Jewish immigrants from Tykocin, Poland. They had come to America before the war, but most of the family they left behind was lost in the Holocaust.

Raised on Chestnut Street, she attended the Latin School of Chicago at a time when it was reluctant to admit Jewish students. Her mother, Sylvia, was determined, and she persuaded Edith Luckett Davis, the mother of future First Lady Nancy Reagan, to advocate for her daughter's admission. Jacqueline thrived, accelerated two grades, and graduated early.

Some of her happiest memories were of childhood summers at Camp Burr Oaks in Wisconsin, where she found her friends and her freedom. Athletic from the start, she fell in love with water ballet and happily boasted about her skill for the rest of her life.

At fifteen she entered Smith College, where she majored in art history, rowed, and made friends who stayed with her for decades.

Her early career took her to Washington, D.C., where she wrote speeches for Robert F. Kennedy, and then to New York City, where he helped her land a position as special assistant to Jacqueline Kennedy.

Mrs. Kennedy became a warm friend for years to come, hosting Jacqueline's engagement party in New York and, true to form, choosing not to attend the wedding so as not to outshine the bride. Her years in New York were extraordinary, filled with adventures, celebrities, and devoted patronage of Broadway.

In 1967, she married and returned to Chicago, where she raised two sons, Jonathan and Matthew. Both sons also attended the Latin School of Chicago and then the New York University. She built a long career as an event planner, mostly in the biopharmaceutical world, and her work took her to many countries.

Jacqueline was known for her impeccable style and warmth. Always fashionable but never pretentious, she had an easy charm that drew people to her and made her a cherished friend to many. She gave her time to many charities, notably the Jewish United Fund. She adored the movies, read widely, and was a formidable Jeopardy player with a high win rate, including in her final weeks in the hospital. Her memory stayed sharp to the end, a gift her family treasured.

She is survived by her sons, Matthew (Moshe) and Jonathan, and a daughter-in-law, Laura Kate Jones Brandstein. She was predeceased by her parents, Morris and Sylvia Gershuny, and by her brother, the filmmaker and author Theodore (Tanchum) Gershuny.

Family and friends meant the world to her. She was a special light in Chicago and far beyond.

She will be laid to rest in keeping with Jewish tradition. A memorial service to celebrate her life will be announced at a later date.

Arrangements entrusted to Mitzvah Memorial Funerals 847-MITZVAH 847-648-9824