Another bright star was added to our family of heavenly stars. In the late hours of August 13, the angels escorted Travis John Jacobson, 24, through the night sky to be reunited with his family already in God’s kingdom.
Travis was born on March 10th, 1995 in Visalia, California. Travis was an energetic, gregarious and inquisitive little boy. Travis attended St. Paul’s School where he enjoyed his friends and excelled in sports. At age 7, Travis joined the Waves Swim Team where he quickly learned that he loved the water. Travis attended Redwood High School where for four years he enjoyed being on the swimming and water polo teams. Travis loved high school and made many close and lifelong friends. Travis went on to attend Sacramento State University where he thrived. Travis joined Phi Delta Theta Fraternity where he again, made numerous lifelong friends. Travis always said that one of the best things about being in Sacramento was that he was close to his favorite place, Lake Tahoe. Travis was a gifted and fearless snowboarder. On many weekends he could be found in Lake Tahoe shredding down the mountain and perfecting tricks.
Travis was a loving and highly respectful son to his parents and stepfather. He was a loyal friend to all those who he shined his light on and he had the innate ability to bring out laughter in even the darkest of situations. Travis was widely adored by his family and friends for being an all-around good man who knew how to combine being charming, sensitive and supportive all while maintaining a cool and calm demeanor.
Travis had graduated from college and was beginning his life in Los Angeles. He was excited to be starting a new chapter and he had the full support of all his family and friends.
Travis is not a man that can be reduced down to a few paragraphs or pages. He was smart, passionate, hardworking, loving, respectful, handsome, funny, sensitive and the list goes on. It would be reductive to try and put this amazing young man into any category other than one that was so incredibly loved by all who had the honor to have him in their lives. He will never be forgotten and his spirit will live on within all of those who loved him. This loss is one that will forever change those that had the opportunity to love and be loved by him as the void that we are all left with can never be filled.
Travis is survived by his loving and grieving family: his mother, Carolyn Britten and stepfather, Scott of Visalia; his father, Dr. Jerry Jacobson of Visalia; his grandmother, Lucy Jacobson of McCallsburg, Iowa; his aunt, Jan Fonken and her husband, Steve, of Boise, Idaho; his aunt, Brenda Easley and her husband Art, of Omaha, Nebraska; his uncle, Kevin Jacobson and his wife, Kim of McCallsburg Iowa; and his aunt Nancy Smith of San Francisco; two stepbrothers and a stepsister, Ben Britten, his wife Abby and their son Garreth, Amy Britten, and Alex Britten; six cousins: Meghan Fonken, Kyle Fonken, Ryan Fonken, Alissa Williams, Tyler and Shane Jacobson.
Travis joins his family in heaven: grandparents Gordon and Betty Smith and John Jacobson, his uncle, David Smith, and his cousin, Chris Fonken.
Celebration of Life Services will be held at GateWay Church, 1100 S. Sowell Street in Visalia on Thursday, August 22, 2019 at 1 p.m.
In lieu of flowers a foundation in Travis’s name is in the process of being set up at Wells Fargo Bank. The foundation will increase awareness of the dangers of street drugs.
Tributes and condolences may be made at www.millerchapel.com.
Arrangements entrusted to Miller Memorial Chapel, 1120 W. Goshen Ave., Visalia, CA (559) 732-8371.
