It’s been several months since Jacklyn Zeman passed away.
The actress held the role of Bobbie Spencer on General Hospital for decades and became a staple many viewers looked forward to seeing daily.
Jackie passed away on May 9, 2023, after a short battle with cancer. She had not exited General Hospital then, so the writers had to figure out what to do with her character.
Unfortunately, the Hollywood strikes began a few weeks later, and scabs took over for General Hospital to keep the show moving.
Instead of penning a tribute to the actress immediately without the writers who know more of the history, they sent the character to Amsterdam off-screen to handle her brother, Luke Spencer’s (Anthony Geary) affairs after his tragic death.
When the writers returned, they worked on a memorial for Bobbie, but it was also a way for the cast and crew of General Hospital to say goodbye to Jackie.
Port Charles says goodbye to Bobbie Spencer
The new year in Port Charles isn’t starting well.
Carly (Laura Wright) learned her mother died in Amsterdam after welcoming Drew (Cameron Mathison) home.
As news began to travel, everyone in Port Charles began reminiscing about Bobbie and her impact on their lives.
Laura (Genie Francis), Scott (Kin Shriner), Lucy (Lynn Herring), and Kevin (Jon Lindstrom) learned of the news while at a restaurant. They thought about the times spent with Bobbie, and General Hospital shared some flashback scenes.
Viewers watched as Carly told Michael (Chad Duell) and Joss (temporarily played by Courtney Fulk). Anna (Finola Hughes) and Felicia (Kristina Wagner) joined forces to clean out Bobbie’s office at GH, which was filled with throwback photos, including one from Anna and Robert’s (Tristan Rogers) wedding back when Felicia and Bobbie were in the wedding party.
Bobbie Spencer’s memorial
This week, the General Hospital preview video showed parts of Bobbie Spencer’s memorial and throwback scenes from her on the show.
Laura speaks about her former sister-in-law as many familiar faces look back at her.
Lucas (Ryan Carnes) returns to be with his family as they say their goodbyes to his mom. There had been a recast with Matt Trudeau, but Lucas didn’t remain in Port Charles, and the last time he was seen on-screen was in 2021.
Many of these reactions and tears filmed for the memorial are real. Lynn Herring (Lucy) and Kristina Wagner (Felicia) were good friends with Jackie off-screen.
The two-day event will be filled with emotions, likely carrying over to viewers. Be sure to have tissues handy, as the episodes will be ones to remember.
General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC.