Lona K. Jaques, 76, of East Moline, passed away Wednesday, March 25, 2026. A remembrance of Lona will be from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Sunday, March 29, 2026, at Milan American Legion, 515 1st Avenue W, Milan, IL. Van Hoe Funeral Home, East Moline, is assisting the family with arrangements.

She was everything.

Not in the fairytale, storybook way—but in the quiet, fierce, unforgettable way that leaves a mark on every life it touches.

Above all else, she was family. Everything she did, every battle she fought, every line she refused to cross—it was for the people she loved. Family and friends weren’t just part of her life; they were her life. She built her world around them, protected it fiercely, and loved within it without limits.

She was a mother—the kind who didn’t just raise her children, but stood guard over them, fought for them, and made sure they knew how to fight for themselves. She was strength when life got hard and courage when it mattered most. She was the room mom and the coffee cakes for Christmas morning mom, but she was also the you’re tough you got this mom- holding all to the highest expectations always.

She was a grandmother and great-grandmother whose love carried across generations—steady, proud, and deeply rooted. Whether it was with hot wheels or zoo animals her playful kid at heart nature was magic for her grandchildren and great grand children. Her presence was something you felt, something you counted on, something that made everything else feel a little more okay.

She was a sister, an aunt, and a friend—the kind of woman who became your safe place without asking permission. She was strong-willed, stubborn, and never afraid to speak her truth. She didn’t back down, didn’t pretend, and didn’t apologize for standing firm in what she believed.

She was tough—life tested her, but it never took her down. She met every storm head-on, and sometimes she was the storm. But behind that fire was a heart that loved harder than most people ever will. The kind of love that protects, defends, and stays—no matter what.

To those who knew her, she was a warrior. To those who loved her, she was strength. To her family and friends, she was everything.

She was the calm before the storm—and sometimes the storm itself. A beautiful contradiction. A force you didn’t forget.

And while she held many titles—mom, grandma, sister, aunt, friend—none mattered more to her than simply being there for the people she loved.

Now, she flies high, reunited with those we’ve all missed, still watching over the people who meant everything to her. And if there’s any doubt—she’s still fighting for them, still loving them- forever watching over them.

She will be forever missed. Forever loved. Always in our hearts.

Lona is survived by her daughters, Suzette (Jay) Westmorland, Rock Island, April Blatzheim, Mesa, AZ, and Angelica (Jim) Rutseart, East Moline; bonus son, Brandon (Vanessa) Comins; nine grandchildren; fourteen great grandchildren, two great greatgrandchildren; brother, James (Shadow) Comins; sister, Jane (George) Shover; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Donald Jaques Jr. and Ricky Comins.