Jacquelyn "Jacki" Lois (Minerd Steinhoff) Cochran

A visitation for Jacquelyn will be held Thursday, February 27, 2025 from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM at McAulay & Wallace Mortuary, 902 N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton, CA 92832. Following the visitation will be eulogies at 11:45 AM then a funeral mass from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Saint Mary Catholic Church, 400 W Commonwealth Ave, Fullerton, CA 92832.

Jacquelyn “Jacki” Minerd was born on Labor Day, September 4, 1933, in Huntington Park, California, to Luther and Veronica Minerd and grew up in that city with her siblings Francis and Marilyn. After high school, she worked at Bank of America, where she met Lester Steinhoff, whom she married in 1953. They first lived in South Gate, then moved to Pico Rivera in 1959, where Jacki worked to raise their two sons: Alan, born in 1955, and Nicholas (Karl), born in 1959. Jacki volunteered in the Catechism office at St. Marianne Catholic Church and spent much time sewing clothing and Halloween costumes for herself and her family. Lester passed away in 1972.

Returning to school, Jacki earned an AA degree in Accounting at Rio Hondo College and there met Beryl Cochran. They married in 1976 and soon bought a house in a Downey neighborhood. Together, they worked in real estate and tax accounting and enjoyed square dancing, fishing and camping using their RV, and making stained glass décor. Jacki’s beloved grandchildren, Mairi and Joshua (born to son Alan and his wife, Judy), knew them as Nana and PopPop. Beryl passed away in 1991.

Jacki’s many interests kept her busy. She was a faithful parishioner of St. Raymond Catholic Church and treasured many warm friendships with her neighbors. She visited Disneyland often with Alan’s family and got to know a new family member when son Nicholas married Catherine in 1996.

Essentially, Jacki was a dedicated “maker” and loved learning about all sorts of things, attending classes in multiple types of cooking, sewing, and jewelry-making. She took up flower arranging and vegetarian cooking, became an award-winning cake decorator, and was an active member of the Los Angeles County Quilters Guild. She loved reading and kept a notebook listing over 1,000 novels she had read. With her friends, she attended local theater productions and “travelog” presentations.

Jacki loved animals. She had dogs throughout her life. One day in the 1960’s, an escaped pet desert tortoise came strolling up the driveway. This sparked an interest that resulted in Jacki becoming a licensed endangered desert tortoise keeper with six living in her yard at one point, and she became known in the neighborhood as The Turtle Lady. Later, she developed a love for giraffes.

In her 80’s, after Jacki needed assistance with daily living, she was blessed to have wonderful, loving caregivers, first at home, then for six years at Adams Residential Care at Richman in Fullerton. The family sends heartfelt thanks to Nanette, Lourdes, Aida, Eric, Mike, and hospice nurse Lucy for the care they have provided.