Jessica Schar passed away peacefully on January 20, 2021 after a long and special life. She was born in San Diego, California and kept vivid memories of the events of World War II. One of the highlights of her life was a trip with her parents in 1947 from Imperial, California to Skagway, Alaska by car on the new Al-Can Highway to Whitehorse and steam train from Whitehorse to Skagway. She moved with her parents to Nevada to finish high school and started college at the University of Nevada, Reno, where she met her first husband.

With her daughter and second husband, Jessica moved to a village in the mountains west of Mexico City. She fell in love with Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1966 when the family passed through returning from living in Mexico. She earned her BA in Anthropology from San Francisco State University in 1969 and her Masters in Library Science from the University of Oregon, Eugene in 1970. With MLS in hand, Jessica returned to the Land of Enchantment and lived in Santa Fe for the remainder of her life, until forced by ill health to move to Rio Rancho, New Mexico in 2015.

She was a temporary worker for the Legislative Council Service before finding employment with the Albuquerque Public Library, Southwest Collections. She returned to Santa Fe full time to take a position as Assistant Librarian at the New Mexico State Supreme Court Law Library. She found this work fascinating and loved meeting lawyers and legislators and helping with their research. She left Santa Fe briefly for Moyie Springs, Idaho but returned and found work again with New Mexico State government, using her archivist skills in the Records Department. Jessica also worked for State Senator George Fettinger as an analyst during several legislative sessions. Her last position with the state was as a budget analyst with the non-partisan Legislative Finance Committee for 19 years. In retirement she read books and wrote family articles.

She was passionate about literacy, the Constitution of the United States, racism, poverty, and injustice. She loved taking visitors to El Santuario de Chimayo and she kept memberships in the Museum of New Mexico sites so that she would always have passes to give family and friends who came to enjoy her beloved Santa Fe. That way, she said, they would always be able to find a public bathroom in their wanderings about town. She loved to laugh, she loved a good yarn, and she loved to tell a story. She loved her family and cherished her daughter.

She is survived by her daughter and numerous cousins of several generations.

Cremation has taken place and burial of the ashes will be with her parents in Hillcrest Cemetery, Smith Valley, Nevada in the fall. A memorial evergreen tree will be planted on her birthday, July 20, 2021 at 10:00AM. Those present may wish to speak and will be invited to help to plant the tree. 

Zoom memorial, time: Aug 21, 2021 01:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/865…

Meeting ID: 865 3145 3366

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to literacy, Southern Poverty Law Center, Tahirih Justice Center, wildlife conservation, or other charity of your choice.

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