Dr. Jacqueline Rosemarie Satchell-Jones, 51,* died unexpectedly on Wednesday, Oct. 7, according to a written memorial by the Yale School for Medicine, where Satchell-Jones was a professor.
Satchell-Jones became the medical director of the Connecticut VA Women Veterans Program, which oversees nearly 5,000 women veterans, in 2018.
“She was identified by her peers as a bright, caring, and supportive colleague,” Yale said, “who always brought positive energy to her work.”
At the VA, in just a few years, Satchell-Jones expanded the multidisciplinary team caring for female veterans, championed trauma-informed care, and participated in innovative programs to recongize and treat heart disease in women, Yale said.
Satchell-Jones was born in Jamaica but settled in New Haven with her family when she was 17 years old. She graduated from James Hillhouse High School and UConn. She earned her MD from Temple University.
For the next 10 years or so, Satchell-Jones worked in the Yale medical system providing care in New Haven and Waterbury. She became an assistant professor of medicine at Yale in 2001. She spent much of her time on the faculty teaching at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System in West Haven.
A GoFundMe established by Satchell-Jones’s daughters is full of comments from former patients and friends who fondly remember Satchell-Jones.
“Dr. Satchell saved my life and just her faith kindness and positive energy inspired me to change my life,” said a person who donated to the campaign.
“You can’t imagine all the wonderful things the patients at the VA said about your mom,” said another donor.
“Jackie was a true angel on earth,” said another.
Among family and friends who loved her, Satchell-Jones is survived by her two daughters, Erica Elizabeth Jones and Alissa Marie Jones.
*Correction: This article previously contained the incorrect age for Dr. Satchell-Jones. She was 51.
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