by Mike Schnitzel
PTA Co-Presidents Deidre Haggerty and Lisa Dorsey announced that a scholarship in memory of Jakubowski, a past president of the Brooklyn Avenue PTA, was being established. They said that the scholarships would be given to two seniors at South High School and one senior at Central High School, because those are the schools that were attended by District 24 children. Past PTA President LuAnn McCarty said she had formed a committee that would raise money for a scholarship to be presented to at sixth grade graduation from this year until the present years kindergarten class graduates.
Haggerty recalled a time that Jakubowski helped out the children during a spring party in kindergarten one year. "We were giving out stuffed bunnies and we didn't have enough," Haggerty said. "Not wanting any child to do without, Mrs. J went home and took some of her daughter's stuffed animals."
Helen Lynch, who knew Jakubowski for over 20 years, told stories about the first time Jakubowsi worked on the playground and the first time she worked on a yearbook. She said that Jakubowski had a knack for getting people to volunteer by saying, "Don't worry. It's easy."
PTA member Cathy Grupp recalled one important lesson she learned from Jakubowski. "Although you may disagree, you must always walk away talking," Grupp said.
Jakubowski's oldest son Drew, a teacher at Robert W. Carbonaro School, thanking Brooklyn Avenue School on behalf of his family. He added that his mother was "looking down upon us right now."
Carol Jakubowski was born on May 22, 1947. She grew up in Brooklyn and graduated from John Jay High School in 1965. After high school, she went to work for AT&T, where she did paperwork, according to her husband Andy. She worked at Hartford Insurance, in Manhattan, as an insurance underwriter, where she met Andy. They were married on May 8, 1971 and moved to Valley Stream, where they raised five children, Drew, Kathy, Craig, Kim, and Kristi.
"She was honest and she had integrity," Andy said. "She gave people the benefit of the doubt. And she always tried to get people to join PTA functions."
Jakubowski had served as a kindergarten aide at Brooklyn Avenue School for the past 10 years. Her husband said that she loved children, and that she chose to work with kindergarteners because of her "motherly instinct."
Andy recalled how Jakubowski used to order flowers for the children on Mother's Day. "She would order the flowers from a place called Gabriel's Nursery," Andy said. "They would deliver the flowers to our lawn and Carol and I would put everything together and then bring them to school so the children could buy them for Mother's Day. When it came to the schools, she was involved with everything."
District 24 Superintendent Dr. Edward Fale echoed those sentiments. "Her involvement in school life was on all levels," Fale said. "She exemplified the concept that children come first, and worked tirelessly and selflessly on behalf of all the children. She will be missed and our sympathies go out to her family and loved ones."
Jakubowski was waked on Sept. 8 at Moore Funeral Home on West Jamaica Avenue in Valley Stream. She was buried on Sept. 9 at Holy Rood Cemetery in Westbury.
Marijo Sensale contributed to this story. Comments about this story? Mschnitzel@liherald.com or (516)569-4000 ext. 265.
