It is with great sadness that we report the unexpected but peaceful passing of Jacqueline LaVerne Somers, known to her friends and family as Jackie. Jackie died at home surrounded by family and friends after a brief illness.

Jackie was born on August 19, 1940, in Chicago, Illinois to Sylvester and Willa Tomlin. The family moved to El Dorado, Kansas, where Jackie graduated from high school in 1958. She met a young Air Force enlisted man, Christopher A. Somers, while attending nursing school. Because the school did not permit nursing students to be married, Chris and Jackie secretly married in a small ceremony on February 4, 1960. Jackie ultimately completed her nursing degree as a registered nurse at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.

Chris and Jackie traveled all around the world with the Air Force, including Ohio, Massachusetts, Kansas, the Philippines, Texas, and Virginia, where Jackie worked as a nurse most recently in the neonatal intensive care unit, where she specialized in the care of ill or premature newborn infants. Chris, (now retired Colonel and lawyer) and Jackie eventually settled in Leesburg, Virginia, where Jackie continued to work as a registered nurse until 2014, when she retired. Jackie became very active with her church, the Capital Community Church, and spend many hours volunteering her time. Jackie took pride in the fact that she was one of the original members of the church. Everyone who knew Jackie loved her and her spirit. Jackie is survived by her husband, Chris, her daughters, Jeri "Kay" Somers and Lisa D. Somers, her granddaughter, Kristen M. Somers, and many other relatives too numerous to name.

A celebration of Jackie's life will be held at the Capital Community Church, 20430 Ashburn Village Boulevard, Ashburn, Virginia, on Friday, July 22, at 7:30 p.m. An interment will follow at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made either to the Capital Community Church (www.capitalcommunity.org) or to Capital Caring Hospice (www.capitalcaring.org) .