Ronald C. Jacobson, First Sergeant, USMC (RET)

Born on October 16, 1928, and raised in Monson, Maine, he was the son of Alfred and Neola Jacobson. As a youth, he was an avid downhill and cross country skier, hockey player, track runner, and pole vaulter, winning the State Championship in 1945 at Monson Academy.

His military career in the US Marine Corps began in 1945 with tours over 10 years to Japan, China, and Guam, followed by several assignments in the United States.

Ron, a k a “Jake,” met Doris Schreffler when stationed in Binghamton, New York, in 1957, when they were members of the same bowling league, and they married in 1958; they had 2 daughters. He retired in 1965 as a First Sergeant in the Office of the Inspector General at the Pentagon and began his career with Sears, Roebuck. He had many promotions, culminating in his role as district manager of sales for Sears catalog stores in New England and New York State. For 16 years they lived in Dover, New Hampshire, where they volunteered in the community through First Parish Congregational Church.

In 1987, Ron and Doris retired to Crystal River, Florida, where they enjoyed many years of travel, golf, bowling, and entertaining friends and family. In 2001 they relocated to Gainesville, when Ron was caregiver to Doris until she died in September 2005. While golfing at the Haile Plantation Golf and Country Club in Gainesville in 2006, he achieved 3 holes in one – the first in April and 2 in November – that he attributed to Doris.

He was very proud of his Swedish dissent. In 2004 Ron created a Jacobson family tree that grew to over 400 ancestors and was pleased by the response and new connections with family that resulted. He and his companion, Lorraine Tollefson, enjoyed travel and theater for 11 years. He remained an active jogger, bowler, golfer, and tennis player for many years, and he walked almost daily to the end of his life. In 2015, as he became referred to as “The Jake,” he began walking with a pedometer app on his iPhone, averaging more than 10,000 steps a day and achieving an amazing 33 million steps or 11,000 miles over a 6-year period. In 2017, he was featured in the Gainesville Sun and became an inspiration to many with his diligence and persistence in reaching and surpassing his fitness goals.

Ron was an avid gardener and landscaper. He loved working outdoors and enjoyed maintaining his beautiful flower and vegetable gardens with Doris and took pride in keeping his properties well cared for. As a spectator sports enthusiast, Ron liked attending Boston Celtics games, and watching the NBA and MLB, PGA (especially Arnold Palmer), NTA, WBA, Pro Bowling, and the Kentucky Derby, always enjoying a mint julep with Doris.

He leaves behind his children and grandchildren: Joni Jacobson and daughter Alyssa Ames (Maine); Joy Jacobson and partner Katie Cole (New York); Kathy Carlisle and husband Paul and daughter Krysta (Washington); Ron Jr. and wife Tammy and children Brandon, Autumn, and Candace (Florida); and Bob O’Connor and wife Janice (Florida), as well as great-grandchildren, friends, cousins, nieces, and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents and his siblings Marion “Buddy” Sandy, Barry Jacobson, and Lorelei “Lolly” Dawes, all of whom he adored. He will be missed by all who knew him.

He will be laid to rest near Doris, in a private burial with military honors, at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. The family encourages donations in his memory to the Wounded Warrior Project at https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/default.aspx?tsid=676&campaignSource=&source=