Jacqueline H. Renear of Chilmark, known as Jacquie, died peacefully on July 1 after a short stay at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Her family was with her. She was 97.

She was predeceased by her husband Dixon B. Renear and daughter Meg Renear.

Jacquie’s greatest love was her family and her love of teaching. She majored in early childhood education and taught first in West Hartford, Conn. and participated in a teacher exchange in Canada. She also taught in Texas after she married.

When she and her husband returned to Martha’s Vineyard, she continued teaching. Most of her years of teaching were on the Vineyard, with the exception of a few years’ interruption to raise her two girls.

After retiring, she was interested in fundraising. She chaired a benefit concert for the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital that took place at a packed Tabernacle in Oak Bluffs. It was presented by her neighbor and friend, the noted jazz pianist Eddie Heywood.

She was interested in the natural world. Her other great love was Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, where she was part of the founding board and served for 25 years. Felix Neck began with Anne and Tom Hale’s dream and passion for having a wildlife sanctuary for children and adults, the help of land given by George Moffett, the amazing appointment of Gus Ben David as director, and the endless help of Elizabeth and Bob Goodale. Jacquie was the education director and started the Fern and Feather summer day camp. She organized and ran the first of five walkathons, Foot it for Felix, to raise money to build a house for the director and to fund future projects.

She spent many years as a volunteer at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital Volunteer as well as for Hospice.

When her girls were young, she wrote a book titled My Sister and I. Fifty years later, her daughter Beth decided it must be published and so it was. Jacquie held a book signing at the West Tisbury Library to a standing room only crowd. Many former students and their children as well as many friends and family were in attendance.

Jacquie is survived by her daughter Beth Larsen and son in law Louie Larsen; grandsons Travis Larsen and his wife Melissa, Hans Larsen and his wife Julie, Andrew Larsen and Kate Mahoney; great-grandchildren Vincent and Gavin Larsen; and her sisters Sally Marte and Peggy Niznik and her husband Joe; and many nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, August 28 at Oak Grove Cemetery in Vineyard Haven.

Memorial contributions may be made to Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, P.O. Box 494, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568; the West Tisbury Public Library, P.O. Box 905, West Tisbury, MA 02575; or the Up-Island Council on Aging, P.O. Box 3000, PMB 2125, West Tisbury, MA 02575.

For online condolences and more information please visit chapmanfuneral.com.