Marilyn Nelson Cockshott

Services for Marilyn N. Cockshott (77) will be held 2 p.m.Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025 at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Arroyo Grande. Marilyn died Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in San Luis Obispo after a lengthy battle with a rare neurological disease, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP).

A long-time resident of Arroyo Grande, she and her husband Bill, would have celebrated their 11th anniversary this January. She was a teacher who had retired after spending most of her career with the Guadalupe School District. Born May 6, 1947 in San Luis Obispo, Marilyn was a graduate of San Luis Obispo High, Class of 1965, and Cal Poly. After her teaching retirement she delighted in volunteer service with St. Barnabas Episcopal Church’s choir; as its Sunday School director; and the St. Barnabas Thrift Shop. She also coordinated the church’s filling of hygiene bags for the homeless and served on the church’s Senior Lunch crew. She also enjoyed working with Bill on various Lions Club service projects. Her service to others probably began as a camp counselor at the Camp Fire Girls’ Camp Natoma.

In addition to Bill, she is survived by Stepdaughter Daphne Manos, Stepson Randall Coeshott, step grandchildren Talia and Alexandra Coeshott, Zachary & Matthew Manos as well as cousins Lynn, Glen and Neil Ten-Eyck and Gail Buchanan. She was the daughter of the late John & Betty (Brown) Nelson, who operated San Luis Obispo’s Nelson Office Supply, which gave her a foundation and understanding of the retail business environment. Quite often she talked about stopping at Mr. Chong’s candy store on her way to the Higuera Street family business.

She became a devoted fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers. She would tell Bill to coordinate medical appointments with the Dodgers’ home games. They enjoyed trips to Arizona for MLB spring training, going to three of golf’s “Majors, ” including the 2017 Masters and to the United Kingdom in 2018 for the 147th (British) Open at Carnoustie, Scotland.

Donations in her memory can be made to the St. Barnabas Church building fund; Delta Upsilon Alumni Scholarship Foundation c/o 11480 Village Ridge Rd., San Diego, CA 92131; or Central Coast Hospice, 253 Granada Dr., San Luis Obispo, CA 93401.

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