In Memoriam: Jacquie Page

Midway through September, just as students from all across the world were readying themselves for another year at Warwick University (and a few thousand ready to start for the first time), we found ourselves hearing of the passing of Jacquie Page.

As the Students’ Union’s Democratic Services Coordinator, it’s hard to understate the impact she has had on the life of every student at this university, no matter how small it may seem.

Through overseeing the annual Sabbatical Officer elections, she allowed every student on campus to have a voice.

We’ve complied some tributes here from various people who knew and worked with her on an almost daily basis:

Cat Turhan
Students’ Union President 2014/5

Every time I’ve tried to write this I’ve cried, but here goes:

Jacquie was truly special. Not just because she was absolutely hilarious (which she was). Not just because she was the only person I’ll ever meet who had not only been a union sabb, but also a Jockey and a pub owner in her time (which she was). Not just because she seemed to solve all my problems with a handful of peardrops, a laugh and a gin (which she did).

She brought people out of themselves – transformed awkward and shy young adults into people who changed stuff, and people who led things. She listened to them, encouraged them, and made them feel at home in the SU.

It’s times like these that remind me of the real strength of the Union. It’s not just the people at SUHQ, it’s anyone who has ever been a part of it. The amount of tributes I have seen from ex-sabbs and ex-students just goes to show how amazing she was, and how powerful the Union can be with special people in it.

We are all here to love and support each other, because that’s the kind of philosophy people like Jacquie engendered in us. I hope it stays like that.

Missing you everyday, Jacquie. I hope there’s an endless supply of gin and fags up there.

Rob Ankorn
Democracy and Development Officer 2014/15

I suspect thousands of people out there had the same first experience of Warwick SU that I had: nervously climbing up the stairs of SUHQ brandishing a piece of paper nominating myself for Student Council, heading into the Democratic Services office to be greeted by a strong smell of coffee and one of the nicest, most thoughtful and most unforgettable people.

Jacquie was never too busy to talk to a student in need and, though not in her job description, she’d act as a mother type figure for anyone that needed a supportive shoulder. Above all other amazing traits, her gallows sense of humour had me in stitches daily.

Every day as DDO before entering my office, I’d pop my head round the door to wish Jacquie good morning – more often than not she’d inform me of the daily crisis with a deadpan face before bursting into a fantastically wicked laugh.

Despite many of us knowing for some time how ill Jacquie was, you can’t really prepare for how you’ll feel when a good friend passes away.

You don’t choose the people you work with and so I’ll count myself lucky that for the past year I worked next door a great friend: the institution that is Jacquie Page.

Miguel Costa Matos
Social Sciences Faculty Rep

Jacquie Page’s death has broken my heart.

She was a lot more than an institution – not a pillar or a keystone but the whole house when it came to SU Democracy. It is impossible to measure in words the enormous help she was to anyone who met her on any problem they brought to her. She looked after us, often to the point of driving herself sick.

Jacquie Page died sad that so many had lost faith and passion for student politics. She wanted people to fall in love with having, discussing and implementing your ideas for the world. If you want to tribute my friend Jacquie Page, go out there and be a changemaker. She’ll look out for you from above.

Jacquie’s presence on this earth was very real and very important for so many of us.

In my heart, though, she’ll always have her own office, where she’ll stay: as my guardian angel.