Obituary: War bride Jacqueline Hallaway brought French charm to Minnesota

Jacqueline Hallaway's French manners charmed Minnesotans, but her joie de vivre captivated them.

Hallaway, who came to this country as a war bride, was witty and kindhearted, friends and family say. The 94-year-old died Oct. 11 in her Minneapolis home.

Hallaway grew up in Épernay, France, and lived in the Champagne region until moving to Paris to escape fighting during World War II.

After the liberation of Paris, she met an American soldier, Ben Hallaway, through a mutual friend.

Thanks to her courses in English, she could communicate well with him, and they quickly fell in love. They were married in New York and spent their honeymoon en route to their new home at Ben's family farm in Dodge Center, Minn.

The two decided that farm life was not for them and moved to Minneapolis in 1950.

Janet Hallaway, Jacqueline's daughter-in-law, said the couple was inseparable.

Even though Hallaway had moved from France and married an American, she maintained many of her native land's customs. She regularly met with a group of French war wives to discuss politics and day-to-day life in Minnesota.

The group met well into their 90s and called themselves "The Frogs," said Jacqueline's son, Philip Hallaway.

With her graceful French style and accent, Hallaway quickly landed a job at the fragrance counter at Dayton's flagship department store in Minneapolis, where she sold perfume and cosmetics for 35 years.

Hallaway was a dynamo at the perfume counter, said Susan Demalignon, her friend of 52 years. She wrote an essay that won her the award as national perfume salesperson of the year in 1966.

Hallaway often wrote in her spare time and sent her friends, including Demalignon, poems on their birthdays.

As a widow, Hallaway started gardening and teaching French classes at the Berlitz Minneapolis Learning Center. She did not own a pair of bluejeans, so gardened in dresses and skirts — although she left her signature heels inside. Philip Hallaway said his mother wore heels into her 90s.

Hallaway rarely left the house without makeup on or with her hair styled in a chignon. Her home was a museum of French culture. When her family visited, Hallaway pressed the linen tablecloths and napkins, placed flowers on the tables and prepared a three-course meal accompanied by wine and lively conversation.

"It was quite an experience to go have dinner at her house," Janet Hallaway said.

In addition to Philip and Janet, Hallaway is survived by two grandchildren. Services have been held.