Obituary of Jacy Reyes

June 7, 1978 – Calgary, Alberta
August 7, 2021– Calgary, Alberta

On Saturday, August 7, 2021, our family unexpectedly lost a much-loved daughter, sister, niece, cousin, aunt, and godmother all in one person, our Jacy Reyes. We miss her in so many ways that we cannot count.

Jacy was the second daughter of Jerry and Lucy Reyes. To her constant amusement and perhaps consternation, her parents never quite remembered the time that she officially arrived, likely due to their own sleep deprivation trying to manage her toddler older sister who perhaps viewed baby Jacy more as a usurper of toys more than a future compatriot initially. Jacy’s first name was a combination of her parents’ names and often, relatives on both sides of her family would comment on how much she emulated her father in both appearance and demeanour. She spent 8 years as the youngest daughter before becoming an Ate Jacy herself with the arrival of her younger sister, Justine. 

Besides her immediate family, Jacy grew up surrounded by an extended family of her father’s siblings and their families, as well as the families of her parents’ friends who, like her parents, moved to Canada from the Philippines in search of a better life to start a family. Jacy’s successes, both personally and professionally, are a testimony to the work her parents put in to make a life for their family. Jacy was also fortunate to meet many of her parents’ cousins’ families and we know that they share our grief.

Like her father, Jacy wasn’t much for having a lot attention drawn to herself but was content to live her life in the background, privately and quietly as was her personality overall. Her closest friends were the ones she kept in touch well past her high school years, and it was for many that she proudly became auntie and godmother to their children. One of her sources of happiness was excitedly planning out themes of gift giving each year for her nieces, nephews, and godchildren each year, and then shortly accomplishing all her gift giving goals well in advance of each life event. 

Growing up in Calgary, Jacy was fond of biking with her Ate Kathy to various garage sales and visiting all of her Reyes relatives within biking distance of her home. She loved to read, had a particular fondness for R&B urban music from the 90’s, while also developing a keen interest in both Asian dramas, K-Pop, and Korean barbecue in her most recent years. Jacy always tried to help others when she could, and had a keen interest in learning various skills and hobbies that included: baking, cake decoration, yarn crafts, and her most recent interest in painting. Her Ate Kathy has many fond memories of various travels and road trips focused on visiting various yarn shoppes with Jacy and Jacy knitting various items for family and friends as a result. 

Travel was also one of Jacy’s passions. Whenever she could, she would travel to different destinations to visit family, or with family would visit different destinations. With her Ate Kathy, Jacy went on many road trips, day trips, and flights, including visiting family in the Philippines, family in Texas, and family in Illinois, and her most recent trip in 2019 trip to Europe where Jacy, as was her preference, planned the things she wanted to do in detail and eagerly looked at travel deals to maximize their time and distance, while her Ate Kathy took locations as they came, and assisted in lifting Jacy’s multiple apple green bags and luggage from platforms and lifts and upstairs. Road trips were the best experiences given Jacy’s preference in driving during the day and her Ate Kathy’s preference of driving later in the day or in the evening. Jacy’s collection of Christmas ornaments, Starbucks mugs, magnets, and her yarn stash highlight many of her fond travelling memories enjoying the local culture and retail on each of her trips. Buying local was a big thing for Jacy.

Professionally, after completing her Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science at the University of Calgary, Jacy spent much of her career working with Alberta Health Services. Many of the systems that manage the province’s health systems and data management have coding and testing that Jacy provided, often as a senior programmer. Writing coding was something she excelled in and was excited about, even if mere mortals might not understand the nuances of how the languages she used to code worked. 

All who were lucky to know Jacy and made her smile are people who her family will always think fondly of. We will miss her kindness, her helpfulness, and how funny she could be when she chose to be. We will miss her company always and foremost. 

To honour her memory, knowing how determined she was to help her family raise monies in her father’s name in order to add his name to the donor wall of our church, Jacy’s family has established a fundraising page to raise monies in Jacy’s memory and hopefully add her name to the same donor wall where her father’s name is now displayed. 

Those wishing to pay their respects may do so at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY (Chapel Of The Bells, 2720 Centre Street North, Calgary, AB) on Monday, August 23, 2021 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Ascension Catholic Parish (1100 Berkshire Boulevard N.W., Calgary, AB) on Tuesday, August 24, 2021 at 11:30 a.m.  For those unable to attend the service will be available for livestreaming at https://youtu.be/rb0NjvU5VrE. Graveside Service to follow at Queen’s Park Cemetery. We would appreciate that instead of flowers, memorial donation in Jacy’s name may be made directly to http://tinyurl.com/jacyreyes through Canada Helps, to add her to the donor wall of Ascension Church. We welcome any condolences, memories and photos to be shared and viewed here.

The family of Jacy Reyes thanks everyone who has cared for Jacy and added to her happiness. 

In living memory of Jacy Reyes, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 CENTRE STREET NORTH, CALGARY, AB T2E 2V6, Telephone: 403-243-8200.

Jacy's memorial card can be viewed using this link