By Jerry Vondas

Published: Friday, November 30, 2012, 12:01 a.m.
Updated: Friday, November 30, 2012

Even though Jacqui Buckley succumbed to leukemia, her messages of hope and inspiration resonated throughout the globe.

Through her website, www.caringbridge.org/visit/jacquibuckley, Mrs. Buckley described her successes, setbacks, encouragements and discouragements to people as far away as South Africa and China, said her husband, Richard Buckley.

Jacqui Konop Buckley of West Mifflin died of acute myelogenous leukemia on Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2012, in UPMC Shadyside. She was 30.

She met her husband online. He said it didn't take him long to realize that she was to be the love of his life, a woman with strength who could face challenges with a smile and can-do attitude. They married in 2008, a year before her diagnosis.

“I could sense through our messages that she was a people person, a woman of compassion whose purpose in life was to help people, especially children, with handicaps, who were experiencing a lot of trauma,” he said.

She became involved with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, participating in its Light the Night Walk fundraiser.

Born and raised in Munhall, Mrs. Buckley was the daughter of Richard P. Konop and Terri Scanlon.

After graduating from Steel Valley High School in Munhall, where she played flute in the marching band, Jacqui Konop earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a master's degree in counseling psychology from Chatham University.

She was a certified counselor who worked at the Children's Institute in Squirrel Hill and Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Oakland.

In addition to her husband, Richard, Mrs. Buckley is survived by her parents, Richard P. Konop of Munhall and Terri Scanlon of Coraopolis; her grandparents, Diana Terrick of Allison Park, Thomas Emery of Munhall and Max and Dolores Lucero of New Mexico; and her sisters, Erin and Corie Scanlon of Coraopolis.

She was preceded in death by her grandmother, Cookie Emery.

Friends will be received from 1 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in George Irvin Green Funeral Home, 3511 Main St., in Munhall.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:30 a.m. Monday in St. Therese Roman Catholic Church in Munhall.

Jerry Vondas is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-320-7823 or jvondas@tribweb.com.

1. NHL commissioner Bettman talks Crosby, Olympics, outdoor games
2. Steelers hope new blocking scheme kick-starts running game
3. Dejan Kovacevic chat transcript: May 24, 2013
4. Penguins insider: Golden opportunity arrives with Game 5
5. Senators' Alfredsson clarifies comments made after Game 4
6. Allegheny County Councilman Drozd leaves GOP, alleges dirty politics
7. Starkey: Pens’ offense blazing historic path
8. Both lanes of I-79 northbound near Cranberry now open
9. Steelers OTA photo gallery
10. Pens will unveil even bigger TV screen for fans in Game 5
11. Steelers notebook: Slimmed-down Redman optimistic for 2013

There are currently no comments for this story.
Subscribe today! Click here for our subscription offers.