Jackie Lynn Quinton (Rockwell)

Our Sunshine

In Loving Memory of

Jackie Lynn Quinton (Rockwell)

December 4, 1957 – June 19, 2026

Some people spend a lifetime making the world a little brighter. Jackie Lynn Quinton did exactly that.

Lovingly known as “Nana,” Jackie was sunshine in human form.

Jackie entered the presence of her Savior, Jesus Christ, on June 19, 2026. While our hearts ache in her absence, we rejoice knowing she is completely healed, free from pain, and experiencing the unimaginable joy of Heaven.

Born on December 4, 1957, in Knoxville, Tennessee, Jackie was the daughter of Jack and Yvonne Rockwell, both of whom preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by her daughter, Alisha Crider, and her brother, Michael Rockwell.

For the last three years, Jackie fought Stage IV colon cancer with incredible strength, grace, and unwavering faith. She faced every obstacle with resilience, never allowing cancer to define who she was. To her family, she wasn’t just a fighter. She was our hero. Her courage inspired everyone fortunate enough to walk beside her on that journey.

Jackie dedicated approximately 24 years of her career to UT Medical Center before retiring. During those years, she served others with the same compassion, warmth, and kindness that defined every aspect of her life. Though her career eventually came to a close, the friendships she built and the lives she touched during her time there remained an important part of her story.

To know Jackie was to know sunshine in human form.

She had a rare gift for making people feel seen, loved, and completely at home.

If love could have saved her, she would have lived forever. Instead, she leaves behind something just as enduring, a legacy of kindness, laughter, unwavering faith, and a family who will carry her light for generations to come.

Her smile could brighten the darkest day, and her contagious laugh had a way of making everyone around her laugh too. She found joy in the little things, flowers blooming in the garden, birds gathering outside her windows, relaxing beside the pool with a piña colada in hand, and creating a home that felt like a peaceful paradise. On Friday evenings, you could often find her at Lost & Found Records, enjoying a cold one with her sister and friends, laughing, singing along to songs, and making memories that would last a lifetime.

But if there was one thing Jackie loved most, it was her family.

Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were the center of her world. Nana’s house was more than a home. It was the place to be. It was where her grandchildren, their friends, and anyone who walked through her door knew they would be welcomed with open arms, fed well, loved deeply, and always made to feel like they belonged. She was our safe place, our biggest cheerleader, and the person who somehow always knew exactly what we needed.

Jackie leaves behind her beloved husband, Danny Quinton; her daughter, Amy Clark, and husband John Clark; her grandchildren, AJ Koekenberg and husband Seth Koekenberg, Tyler George and wife Reid George, McKenzie Becker and husband Allen Becker, and Ashlynn Waller; her great-grandchildren, Elliana Koekenberg and Delilah Jarnigan; her stepson, Logan Quinton, and wife Shannon Quinton; and her step-grandsons, Landry and Luke Quinton.

She is also lovingly remembered by her sister, Maria Rockwell Armstrong and husband Mike Armstrong, as well as friends who became family, especially Danielle Poisal, Stacy Swafford, Jodi Longmire, and Kathy Jack, whose love and friendship brought her so much joy throughout her life.

Jackie’s legacy cannot be measured by the years she lived, but by the love she gave so freely. She taught us that home is not a place. It is a feeling. It is laughter around the kitchen table, flowers blooming in the sunshine, hummingbirds dancing outside the window, friends who become family, and knowing there will always be someone waiting with open arms.

The greatest gift Jackie ever gave us wasn’t something she left behind. It was the way she loved us, and in doing so, taught us to love each other.

Cancer may have taken her body, but it never took her spirit, her faith, or the love she poured into every life she touched.

Today, she is whole.

She is healed.

She is Home.

Although we grieve the loss of her physical presence, we do not grieve without hope. Because of the promise of Jesus Christ, we know this is not goodbye. It is simply, “We’ll see you again.”

Until then, we’ll look for her in every hummingbird that pauses nearby, every flower that blooms in the sunshine, every warm summer day by the pool, and every room filled with laughter.

She was our sunshine.

She was our safe place.

She was our home.

She will be loved beyond measure, honored always, and missed for the rest of our lives.

Celebration of Life

Family and friends are invited to celebrate Jackie’s beautiful life on Saturday, July 11, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at 8324 Old Maynardville Pike, Knoxville TN, 37938.

Rather than gathering in black, we invite you to celebrate Jackie the way she lived, with warmth, color, and joy. In honor of her vibrant spirit and her love of sunshine, flowers, and all things bright, we kindly ask guests to wear bright summer colors.

As we gather to celebrate Jackie’s life, we hope you’ll do what she did best. Share your favorite stories. Laugh until your cheeks hurt. Hug your loved ones a little tighter. Celebrate the incredible woman she was, the beautiful life she lived, and the family and friendships she so lovingly built. That is the legacy Jackie leaves behind, and there is no better way to honor her.