My Beginnings in California
I entered this world on June 23 1941 in San Diego California as Roscille Colburn-jandali. My parents Albert Costner born in 1911 and Lucille Crawford born in 1915 shaped my early days with quiet strength and deep roots in the Golden State. We lived simply yet fully. I walked the halls of Arcadia High School and crossed the stage as a graduate in 1959. That diploma opened doors I never imagined.
Right after I enrolled in beauty college and worked in a shop in Monrovia. The scissors felt light in my hands but my heart already longed for wider horizons. Soon I traded the salon chair for the cabin of a United Airlines jet. I trained in Chicago then flew routes out of Miami before basing at LAX while calling Manhattan Beach home. Those years taught me service at 30000 feet. I learned to smile through turbulence and connect with strangers in tight spaces.
The Sky-High Start to My Career
Flight attending was more than a job. It was my first taste of independence. I met pilots and passengers from every corner of the map. One layover in Sacramento changed everything. I crossed paths with Earl Colburn Jr a United Airlines pilot. We dated steadily and married around January 1963. Company rules at the time meant I stepped away from the airline life just as our own adventure began.
We settled in the San Fernando Valley. Over the next 14 years we built a home filled with laughter and chaos in the best way. I gave birth to two biological children. Their names remain close to my chest but their presence anchored me. At the same time Earl and I opened our doors to 35 foster children. Some stayed weeks. Others stayed years. Two of them I raised as my very own. We also welcomed five foreign-exchange students who brought new languages and stories to our table. Our house felt like a garden where every child bloomed under care and consistency.
Marriage to Earl and Our Blended Roots in Nevada
We left for Nevada in 1973. Fallon became our forever home after Reno. We had horses, llamas, chickens, cats, and a parrot on 24 acres. The youngsters flourished on 4-H and open sky. I got my private pilot certificate in 1978 after taking training in 1976. Getting wings was like getting more arms to lift people.
Earl and I celebrated 35 years in early 1998. He was diagnosed with cancer in October 1997. He died the day after our anniversary after I cared for him at home. As Alzheimer’s required more help, my mother Lucille joined us on the property in 1989. Lived in a mobile home until her death on May 1, 1998. My losses excavated deep channels but taught me presence.
Nursing as My Calling and Service That Heals
School called me back in the 1980s. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Nevada Reno in 1988. Two of my children graduated the same day. That ceremony still shines in my memory like a shared sunrise. For 14 years I worked as a home-health nurse. I helped launch a volunteer hospice program in Fallon and served as its coordinator for 11 years. Later in Reno I took per-diem shifts with Circle of Life Hospice.
I also volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for abused and neglected children. Faith has guided every step. Since 1969 I have stayed active in a non-denominational Christian church. Today I still volunteer in the church office and with Mothers of Preschoolers. These roles feel like extensions of the same calling: to comfort to listen and to lift.
Finding Love Again with John and a New Chapter
Reno became my home after 2003. Gardening, Hawaii snorkeling, sailing, and good wine kept me busy after buying a home. Daily gym visits became routine. Abdulfattah John Jandali appeared in 2006. He consulted professionally in Fallon. We discussed fitness, vacation, and pleasant weather. Still go to the gym together.
John, born March 15, 1931 in Homs, Syria, had a rich history. Before managing Reno hotels and casinos, he taught political science and had a PhD. Our marriage made me stepmother to his children from previous relationships. That includes his 1955-born son Steve Jobs and 1957-born daughter Mona Simpson. Our blended family has 13 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. Four of my children live nearby: two in Reno, one in Las Vegas, and one in Austin.
Our Blended Family Today
Family is the trunk of my life tree. Here is a clear look at the branches I hold dearest.
| Relation | Key Details | Numbers and Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Parents | Albert Costner and Lucille Crawford | Father 1911-1974 Mother 1915-1998 |
| First Husband | Earl Colburn Jr United Airlines pilot | Married 1963 Passed 1998 |
| Current Husband | Abdulfattah John Jandali | Married 2006 |
| Biological Children | Two with Earl | Both graduated university 1988 |
| Foster Children | Raised 35 over 14 years | Two raised as my own |
| Foreign-Exchange Students | Hosted in our home | Five total |
| Step-Children | Steve Jobs and Mona Simpson | From John’s prior marriages |
| Grandchildren | Blended total | 13 |
| Great-Grandchildren | Growing circle | Several |
We stay close. Church activities gardening and travel keep us connected. John and I share a quiet Reno home where laughter from grandkids fills the rooms like warm sunlight.
Achievements and Passions That Define Me
I hold a licensed private pilot certificate earned in 1978 and a nursing license that has served thousands. I coordinated hospice volunteers for 11 years and fostered 35 children across 14 years of marriage. These numbers tell a story of steady hands and open doors. My passions remain simple yet vivid: the ocean waves in Hawaii the scent of garden soil and the peace of a non-denominational faith that has guided me since 1969. At 84 years old I still visit the gym regularly and cherish every moment with family.
FAQ
Who are the most important people in my family tree?
My parents Albert and Lucille gave me strong foundations. Earl Colburn Jr and I shared 35 years and built a home that welcomed 35 foster children plus our two biological ones. Today my husband Abdulfattah John Jandali and I blend our lives with his children Steve Jobs and Mona Simpson. Together we celebrate 13 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren spread across Reno Las Vegas and Austin.
How did I balance a career with raising so many children?
I stepped from flight attendant to full-time mother then returned to school at the University of Nevada Reno graduating with my nursing degree in 1988. While working 14 years in home health and coordinating hospice for 11 years I still made space for fostering 35 children and hosting five exchange students. Faith church and a supportive husband kept the balance steady like a well-trimmed sail.
What milestones mark my professional path?
Graduation from Arcadia High School in 1959 started it all. I earned my pilot license in 1978 after two years of lessons. The nursing degree arrived in 1988. I launched a volunteer hospice program helped countless patients in home health and served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate. These steps span from 1963 when I left the airlines through my per-diem hospice work in Reno today.
When did I move to Nevada and why?
We relocated from California in 1973 seeking new beginnings on 24 acres in Fallon. After 26 years there I moved to Reno in 2003. Nevada offered open land animals 4-H projects and later the chance to meet John and build our next chapter together.
What keeps me active in my mid-80s?
Daily gym visits gardening snorkeling sailing and church volunteering fill my calendar. I still enjoy good wine and time with great-grandchildren. My licensed pilot and nursing backgrounds remind me that service never retires. Every day I choose gratitude and forward motion.
