Who Is Lovey?

A Tribute to Lovey

Jackie Lynn Terrell-Jackson, affectionately known as “Mrs. Jackie” and later “Lovey,” was a woman whose life was defined by love, compassion, faith, and an extraordinary ability to make people feel seen.

Born in Toledo, Ohio, and raised beneath the bright skies of Las Vegas, Jackie’s journey into motherhood began at just 16 years old when she welcomed her first daughter. Becoming a young mother shaped her life in profound ways and gave her a deeply personal understanding of the strength, support, and community young mothers need as they build a future for themselves and their children.

That same nurturing spirit would eventually touch generations of children and families.

The Origin of “Lovey”

“Lovey” wasn’t simply a nickname. It became a reflection of who Jackie was.

It was the name she chose for her beloved grandchildren to call her, and it perfectly captured the warmth, tenderness, and unconditional love she gave so freely. To her family and eventually to the community around her, Lovey became synonymous with being cared for, welcomed, and loved exactly as you were.

A Life Devoted to Caring for Others

Jackie began her career with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), where she encountered children and families navigating the foster care system. Those experiences strengthened her desire to create environments where children could feel safe, cherished, and truly seen.

She eventually left DCFS and opened Jackson Family Daycare from her home.

But to Jackie, it was never simply a business.

Her daycare became a second home to children from all walks of life. She had a particularly tender heart for children who had experienced foster care or adoption and welcomed them with the same love she gave her own family.

Around the neighborhood, she became known as “the lady in the big green van.”

Jackie could often be spotted driving around with a van full of daycare children of different races and ages. Strangers would sometimes stop her and say:

“Wow, you sure have a big family! Are all of these your kids?”

Without missing a beat, Jackie would smile and answer:

“Of course they are! Come on, guys, smile.”

Then she would proudly add:

“See, don’t we all have the same smile?”

That was Jackie Lynn Terrell Jackson.

Family, to her, was not defined only by blood. It was created through love, connection, consistency, and showing up for people.

A Legacy of Unconditional Love

Lovey’s impact stretched far beyond her home and daycare.

She was known for the quiet acts of kindness that often meant everything to the person receiving them. She might pay for someone’s groceries without seeking recognition, offer encouragement to a stranger standing in line at Disneyland, make sure a child had something warm to eat, or simply make someone feel as though they mattered.

And whenever that big green van appeared, people knew the smiling woman with the larger-than-life personality was not far behind.

To know Lovey was to feel seen, valued, welcomed, and genuinely cared for.

Her passing left an immeasurable absence, but the way she lived continues to shape the lives of the people she loved.

Turning Her Legacy Into a Mission

Lovey’s Home Foundation was created to carry that love forward.

Jackie’s own experience becoming a mother at 16, combined with her lifelong commitment to children and families and her connection to the foster care community, inspired our mission to support expectant and parenting youth and young adults impacted by foster care.

We are working toward a future where young parents do not have to choose between surviving and building the life they envision for their families.

Through the development of supportive housing, family-centered services, parenting support, education, mentorship, life-skills development, and pathways toward economic independence, Lovey’s Home Foundation seeks to provide young families with something Jackie believed every person deserved:

A safe place to land, people who believe in them, and the opportunity to thrive.

The Heartbeat of Lovey’s Home Foundation

Lovey’s spirit remains the heartbeat of this organization.

Her belief that every child belonged, every person deserved kindness, and family could extend far beyond biology is woven into the foundation we are building.

Our goal is not simply to provide services. It is to create the kind of community Lovey created everywhere she went: one where young people and their children feel safe, supported, celebrated, and genuinely loved.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about the woman behind our name.

Lovey’s life reminds us that one person can change a life through one child, one smile, and one loving act at a time.

And through Lovey’s Home Foundation, her love lives on.