Jaquelyn "Jaqui" Rae Tolson

Jaquelyn “Jaqui” Rae Tolson: Age 71, passed away on Sunday October 31, 2021, at Great River Hospice House in Burlington, Iowa. Jaqui was born in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, on September 11, 1950. She graduated from Mt. Pleasant Community High School in 1968 and went on to attend Southeastern Community College graduating with an Associate degree in nursing. She later attended Iowa Wesleyan University, graduating in 1994 with a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing. Jaqui loved nursing and worked for over 45 years at Burlington Medical Center, which later became Great River Medical Center, and is now known as Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center. A natural born caregiver, she cared for her parents, Ailleen and Glenwood until their passing.

Jaqui was passionate about many things in life. Born into a musical family, Jaqui loved music and enjoyed singing in the First Presbyterian Church choir, during her free time. She also loved art, drawing and painting in her leisure time. In her early years, Jaqui spent her time creating ceramic and crochet masterpieces that she shared with her loved ones. Jaqui was an avid traveler, and she ventured around the country by bus, car, or train attending graduations, weddings, recitals, birthday parties, and family holidays. While she spent her entire life avoiding planes, that never stopped her from showing up for her family and friends. Above all else, Jaqui loved her family. She was Godmother to her nieces, Timeka and Cherie, and favorite aunt to many more. Jaqui was a true blessing to all who knew her.

Jaqui was preceded in death by her mother and father, Ailleen and Glenwood Tolson, her sister Mildred “Milli” (Henry) Dawson, and nephew Jeffrey Dawson. She leaves to cherish her in fond memory, siblings; sister, Carolyn Rumph (Madison, WI) and brother, Gerald “Jerry” (Karen) Tolson (Louisville, KY); nephew, Kevin Dawson; nieces, Charlesetta Dawson, Luana (Fred) Steele, Lisa (Keith) Elzia, Cherie Rumph and Timeka Rumph; great-nephews and nieces, Brandon, Derek, Tia, Noah, Joshua, Asia, Staisha, Cymaron, Brittne and Gabriella, “adopted siblings” Debbie McClain and Reynolds Roth, and a host of other relatives and friends.

Jaqui’s homegoing celebration will be held on Saturday, November 13, 2021 with visitation at 10:00 AM followed by the service at 11:00 AM at the First Presbyterian Church in Mt Pleasant. Interment will be in Forest Home Cemetery.  In order to accommodate social distancing and reduce the risks of COVID-19, masks will be required, and the service will be live streamed on the church’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/fpc.mtpleasant. Kimzey’s Funeral Home in Mt. Pleasant is in charge of all arrangements. Those who wish to pay their respects may do so at the funeral home on Friday, November 12 from noon until 8:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in Jaqui’s honor to the Iowa Wesleyan University Nursing program, the Glenwood and Ailleen Tolson Music Scholarship at Iowa Wesleyan, or the American Diabetes Association.

The family would like to thank everyone for their love and kindness shown to Jaqui and the family during this time. The family would particularly like to thank the caregivers at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and Great River Hospice House for their compassionate care and concern for Jaqui.

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