Jacqueline Jones Coalson

Jacqueline Jones Coalson, was born on March 12, 1938. She is the daughter of Jack Lowell and Jewel (Adams) Jones, and the sister of Glenda Jeanne Jones Tawney. She passed away peacefully, at home, on March 27, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas.

Jacque grew up on a farm picking cotton. After working a summer in the office of Dr. Martin, she knew that she would be going to medical school. At the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, she met her first husband, Robert Ellis Coalson. They welcomed three children together, Danon, Robert and Diane.

In the summer of 1979, Jacque moved her family from Oklahoma City to San Antonio, Texas. It was here that she became a prominent medical researcher and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Pathology. Dr. Coalson authored or co-authored over 160 research works, focusing heavily on lung development and injury. In 1990, she was inducted into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame, and in 2023 she was among the faculty recognized on the Scopus Citation Metrics list, which recognizes researchers with a high impact in their fields.

Jacque married Floyd Richards (Rusty), after meeting him at the First Presbyterian Church. Together they traveled the world and loved spending time with their grandchildren and pets.

In her later years, she was doted on by her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She celebrated their many achievements with joy. She was a die-hard San Antonio Spurs fan and loved watching them play. She loved getting her nails done and had a standing pedicure appointment. She was known at her nail salon as “Grandma” and they loved doing her nail art to match the seasons. She was happiest at home with her pets, Ruba and Jett. She spent her time gardening, thrifting, researching genealogy, and binge-watching Vera while eating cherry turnovers.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Jack and Jewel Jones, her beloved sister, Glenda Jeanne Tawney, her husband, Rusty Richards and her son Robert Lowell.

She is survived by her daughters, Danon (Don) Hassall, Diane (David) Shafer. Her grandchildren, Hannah (Justin) Dobbs, Kaitlin (Derek) Read, and Olivia (Anthony) Garza. Her great-grandchildren, Nevaeh, Lucian, Roselyn, Iayanna, Atticus, Easton, Elena, Azriah, Azriel, and Evelyn, and her precious pups, Jett and Ruba.