Cecilia (née Pérez Verdía Schuster) Jacobson of West Hatfield, MA passed away peacefully at home on June 1, 2024 after a prolonged illness with Parkinson’s disease and related dementia. She was born and raised in Mexico City, Mexico on December 4, 1948 as the second child of Alfonso Pérez Verdía Abarca and Delfina Schuster de Pérez Verdía. When her mother passed away at an early age, her father was remarried to Mercedes Piñón Pérez Verdía. Cecilia cherished her Mexican culture and adored her extended family who live throughout Mexico.

 Before moving to the U.S., Cecilia ran a travel agency from Mexico City in the 70s. In 1980, a friend introduced her to Rudy Jacobson on a blind date and they got engaged two months later. They started their life together in Northampton, MA where Rudy had established his manufacturing business, Temp-Pro. They wed in 1981 and were fortunate to see many parts of the world together during their 42-year marriage. In 1986, they adopted their daughter Daniela Jacobson from Mexico and raised her in the Pioneer Valley.

 “Ceci” was known for lighting up any room and for her generosity. She had a flair for fashion and a reputation for dressing to the nines. Her passion for glamour and makeup led her to becoming a Mary Kay beauty consultant. As an artist, her creativity came to life through quilting, sewing, calligraphy, and more. She was a steadfast patron of the performing arts and believed in the magic of live dance, music, and theater. She volunteered as a parent for The Bement School and at the Cooley Dickinson Hospital Gift Shop in her later years. Cecilia loved to travel and spend time in Vermont and Rhode Island with loved ones.

 Her family will remember Cecilia for showing up, without fail, for them and others. Ceci always sought joy in life, even in challenging times. She was an optimist and her cheerful spirit never wavered despite facing chronic illness during the isolating Covid pandemic.

 Cecilia leaves behind beloved family throughout the U.S. and Mexico, including husband Rudy, daughter Daniela and her husband Samuel Plotkin, and two grandchildren Naomi and Diego; brother Alfonso Pérez Verdía Schuster and sister-in-law Maria Luisa Villareal, and their children Alfonso, Xavier, and Maria Luisa; and two stepbrothers Jaime M. de Prieto Piñón and René J. Prieto Piñón. She is predeceased by her stepbrother Rodrigo Prieto Piñón.

 The family wishes to thank all caregivers who helped Cecilia along her journey, including the wonderful hospice team at Cooley Dickinson. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation, Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice, and Eventide Singers found at eventidesingers.com.

 A Mass of Christian Burial will be Thursday, June 27, at 10:00 AM in St. Brigid’s Church, Amherst. Burial will follow in St. Brigid’s Cemetery, Hadley, followed by a reception.

Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com