Jaclyn Lawson November 18, 1933 - December 11, 2025

Jaclyn “Jaci” Lawson

On Thursday, December 11, 2025 Jaclyn Rose went home to be with Jesus as her loving family ushered her onward in prayer. She now joins her husband, Charles William, after he entered heaven almost 12 years ago to the week.  Jaci, as she was affectionately known, is survived by Kirk (Zoe), Lia, Eric (Molly), Mara (Jim Arnold), and grandchildren Taylor, Luke (Laura), Jacob, Mary (Ben Dunkerton), Patrick (Paige), Andrew and Anna and great grandchildren Lily and Lerae.

Jaci was raised by George and Stella Vandeven in Cape Girardeau along with her older brother Don.  Jaci enjoyed periodic weekend trips to her cousin Rita’s farm 30 miles north in Biehle, MO the source of many rich childhood memories.  As a child, Jaci  loved to draw and as she grew, discovered passions for painting and art.  Various mentors and art teachers at the college in Cape Girardeau encouraged her to turn her love of art into a profession.  A 1951 graduate of St. Mary’s High School in Cape Girardeau, Jaci received a BA in Commercial Art from Washington University in 1956 and went on to work for an advertising firm in downtown St. Louis.  Jaci met her husband, Bill, on a blind date in 1956 and after six years of dating, married in August 1962.  They spent the next four years in Kokomo, IN, where Bill was based as a Captain in the U.S.A.F.  In 1966 they decided to leave military life and settled in Ballwin, MO where they raised their four children.  Jaci was a very dedicated stay-at-home mom who made her children’s clothes, Halloween costumes, countless birthday cakes, and anything that allowed her to exercise her incredible creativity.  When the kids left the nest, Jaci transformed their bedrooms into art studios!

Jaci grew as a professional artist when she became an active member of the St. Louis Artist Guild and various professional art associations.  When Bill retired in 1997, he gladly became Jaci’s personal secretary and planner as she entered her artwork into juried shows across the country.  One of her favorite gallery exhibits occurred in the early 2000’s when she displayed some of her artwork at a coffee shop in her hometown of Cape Girardeau.  The coffee shop was a renovation of her grandfather’s store, Vandeven Mercantile, that he built in the 1880s.  Her favorite pastime was sketching or painting and the subject matter varied from grandkids to still life to landscapes.

Jaci was a wonderful woman, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, artist, and friend who loved creating, gathering with family and friends, attending mass, spending time outdoors and eating ice cream.  She will be remembered for her creative mind, goofy sense of humor and kind soul. Jaci will be greatly missed.

Services:  The service will be held on Saturday, December 20, at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church, 15642 Clayton Road, with Holy Rosary at 12:30 p.m. followed by a visitation at 1 p.m. and funeral service at 2 p.m. The family is requesting that attendees wear bright colors as a celebration of Jaci’s life and creativity.  A private interment will be held at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.  The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at The Fountains of West County where she resided for the last three and a half years, and they would like to especially thank the fantastic hospice team at Missouri Baptist Medical Center who made Jaci’s transition comfortable.  In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Jaci’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Missouri Chapter.