Jolean Scott, a Bayfield girl diagnosed in August with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, died Monday with her family at her side.
Jolean is remembered as an active, lively girl who zoomed around her neighborhood on anything with wheels.
The disease was a rare, aggressive cancer that came on fast, according to her father, Eric Scott.
Local residents cooked meals for her family and conducted fundraisers so the family could spend as much time together as possible. Most people with the diagnosis are given a year to live, at most.
"She fought for her life with the same intensity she played all her sports," the obituary stated.
In December, area residents turned out to sing Christmas carols to her and her family on Christmas Eve, and Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus made a visit. She also was able to ride on a firetruck with her siblings, courtesy of Upper Pine Fire Protection District.
She visited museums while receiving treatments in Denver, went sledding at Chapman Hill and got to ride a horse last week.
Her grandmother, Deborah Anderson, kept residents updated on Jolean's GoFundMe page.
"Jolean overheard us talking about the hospice nurse coming over in a few minutes so she took a big deep breath and shed the only tear during her struggle to stay alive," Anderson wrote on Monday. "Jolean Heiden Scott moved on Jan. 21, 2019. We thank all of you for all of your love and support."
"She was the most positive little thing," said Amy Davlin, a friend of the family. "She would say, 'Come on, Mom, calm down.' She was just Jolean."
Jolean was born on Aug. 27, 2009. She is survived by her parents, Eric and Mia Scott, and siblings Cassidy and Cecil of Bayfield; fraternal grandparents, Mike Scott and Deb Anderson of Durango; and maternal grandparents, Michael Wiggins of Long Beach, California, and Terry Wolfe of Las Cruces, New Mexico.
A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 16 at Pine Valley Church.
