Jacqueline Valerio

After exploring 48 states and Canada, on September 1, 2026, Jackie began her next adventure, into the stars.

Born January 28, 1961, in Pasadena, TX, to parents Tom and Ernestine Schneider, she was a gift they presented to the universe, one we should all be thankful for.

“This is a true story,” as Jackie would say:

Jackie was an accomplished, award-winning artist. Her portfolio included winning the National Cherry Festival’s fine art competition four times, being a commissioned painter for Princess Cruises’ art auctions, and illustrating several children’s books.

She was a wonderful cook, though cookie-making was perhaps not among her greatest talents.

Jackie was once bitten by a monkey at a movie theater, no less, which was just one of the many unforgettable stories from her adventurous life.

There was never an “unusual” rock she could walk past without picking up, completely unconcerned about what it might do to her otherwise perfect manicure.

She spent a summer in a teepee in the Wyoming Mountains and encountered Sasquatch…though some might refute her sighting.

She would say hello and strike up a conversation with everyone she came across. She believed there were more good people in this world than bad, and she was kind to everyone.

Jackie had great taste in music, but no sound was as sweet as when her heart sang when she met her soul mate, Kelly McMillen. Together, they would forge experiences in the mountains of Wyoming and Montana while staring at the stars and watching the wild horses. Always a team, they journeyed through life together with attentiveness, awareness, and a deep love for one another.

Her travels also included the cherished souls who made up her family: her son, Jeffery (Melissa) Idalski, and their children, Ethan, Ava, Carmen, and Esther, of Bay City; her son, James (Jennifer) Idalski, and their son, James Jr., of Columbiaville; and her bonus daughter, Kayla (Lucas) Miller, of Traverse City, who would round out her family tribe.

Jackie touched the lives of those around her through her creative expression, her adventurous spirit, her humor, and the quiet goodness she carried with her. Her life was a work of art.

She is preceded in death by her beloved dog and constant companion, Cooper, who ran ahead just six weeks ago to be there waiting for her when she arrived, expecting a treat, no doubt.

A celebration of life will take place at a later date, with plenty of pie.

In lieu of flowers, the family wishes for you to contribute to Aspire United Hospice Service of Marlette, MI. aspirerhs.org/Foundation/

The family also requests that you tell your family that you love them because they have learned that life is precious and the words should be spoken often. And finally, Jackie would have wanted you to vote your conscience this fall.