Jacqueline Jones Coalson

Jacqueline Jones Coalson was born on March 12, 1938. She was 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.

Jackie 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. Together, they welcomed three children: Danon, Robert, and Diane.

In the summer of 1979, Jackie 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 recognized on the Scopus Citation Metrics list for her high impact in her field.

Jackie began her career in Pathology at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio in 1979, after moving from the University of Oklahoma. She was a respected pulmonary pathologist who received consultation requests from around the world. Much of her work supported the University Hospital System and the Audie L. Murphy VA Medical Center in San Antonio. She was also a world-renowned researcher, serving as Program Director for two major research initiatives focused on lung disease in premature infants, collaborating with institutions globally.

She led the Pathology Core of a major study on Mycoplasma pneumoniae in asthma and worked closely with the Lung Transplant Team, contributing both diagnostically and through research on transplant rejection. Within the department, Jackie served as Director of the Histology and Electron Microscopy Core Laboratories and as Interim Department Chairman. She was a dedicated educator who inspired many students and colleagues, including members of her own lab team who went on to become physicians.

Jackie later married Floyd “Rusty” Richards after meeting him at First Presbyterian Church. Together, they traveled the world and cherished time with their grandchildren and pets.

In her later years, she was doted on by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, celebrating their many achievements with joy. She was a devoted San Antonio Spurs fan and rarely missed a game. She loved getting her nails done and was affectionately known as “Grandma” at her nail salon, where she delighted in seasonal nail art. She was happiest at home with her beloved pets, Ruba and Jett, spending time gardening, thrifting, researching genealogy, and binge-watching Vera while enjoying 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 and Diane (David) Shafer; her grandchildren, Hannah (Justin) Dobbs, Kaitlin (Derek) Read, and Olivia (Anthony) Garza; and her great-grandchildren, Nevaeh, Lucian, Roselyn, Iayanna, Atticus, Easton, Elena, Azriah, Azriel, and Evelyn, as well as her precious pups, Jett and Ruba.

Services will be held at First Presbyterian Church, 404 N Alamo St, San Antonio, TX 78205 at 10:00 AM, with a reception to follow.

In Jackie’s honor, the family requests guests wear spring colors. In lieu of cut flower arrangements, please bring potted flowers or plants to celebrate Jackie’s beautiful memory.