James "Jim" Jacobson

To view a live stream of Jim's Celebration of Life Service please click the following link:

JAMES "JIM" SANFORD JACOBSON

James Sanford Jacobson was born in Pipestone on January 21, 1949, to Jay Sanford Jacobson and Joyce (Wolter) Jacobson. He was baptized at St. Paul Lutheran Church and confirmed at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church. He graduated from Pipestone High School in 1967. On June 27, 1970, Jim married Cheryl Pack in Walnut Grove. Their lives were blessed with three sons. Following their marriage, they lived in Tracy while they completed their senior year at Southwest Minnesota State College in Marshall, where they both graduated with the charter class in 1971 with elementary education degrees. They moved to Phillip, South Dakota in 1972, where they taught together in a rural school; Jim taught the upper elementary students and Cheri had the younger students. In 1973, they moved to Walnut Grove and lived on Cheri’s parents’ farm while Jim was a car salesman for Scott-Pruesse in Redwood Falls. They moved to Pipestone in 1976, where Jim was a car salesman for Merle Dibble at Pipestone Auto, and purchased their Pipestone home in 1977. Jim began working at Pipestone’s new Hardee’s restaurant in 1985, working his way up to store manager in 1993. He managed there until the store closed in December 1997. In 1998, Jim began working in Sioux Falls at CitiBank in the student loans department and later with credit card customer service. He remained a loyal employee for 17 years until he and Cheri retired together in 2015. After celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in June 2020, they decided to move closer to family. On November 1, 2020, they moved into a home in Mora, after 43 years in their beloved Pipestone.

On September 29, 2021, Jim was diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer. On February 2, 2022, he entered hospice care. The following afternoon, Jim received Last Rites communion with some family present and others joining virtually. He died peacefully at home on Friday, February 4, 2022, at the age of 73 years and 15 days.

Jim was a member of Zion EUB Church in Pipestone until it closed in 1993 and then transferred to Peace United Methodist Church. He served as an usher, a communion steward, and church treasurer. Jim was a Cub Scout and, later as a Boy Scout, earned his Eagle Scout badge. He remained active with the Boy Scouts, volunteering as a Webelos leader and then was the Scoutmaster for several years. Jim put in many hours with the Scouts as an Indian Dancer for the Pipestone Hiawatha Pageant. He was very knowledgeable about Pipestone’s history and about Native Americans. Jim was on the high school golf and wrestling teams. He was an avid follower of the PHS marching band while his sons participated, including trips to New York for the Macy’s Parade and California for the Rose Bowl Parade. Jim developed an interest in genealogy in his later years and created numerous Power Point presentations that were enjoyed at family gatherings. He started a stamp collection in 3rd grade and as a young adult became an avid coin collector. Jim enjoyed helping at and visiting with people at the Civil War Festivals and the Pipestone County Historical Society rummage sales. He took pride in growing flowers and loved traveling, especially to visit the kids and grandchildren. Jim’s family was his treasure.

Jim’s smile and teasing will be missed by his wife, Cheri, of 51 years; his three sons, Jason (Bonnie) Jacobson of LaGrange, KY, Ryan (Lora) Jacobson of Mora, MN, and Scott Jacobson of Quincy, MA; six grandchildren, Carter Jacobson, Isabella Jacobson, Jonah Jacobson, Lucas Jacobson, Andrew Sykes, and Emily Sykes; one brother, Jack (Phyllis) Jacobson, Pipestone. Jim is also remembered by his exchange student daughter, Ines (Roell) Rieck of Pattensen, Germany; in-laws Candyce (Bob) Sowers of Benson, Bryce (Deb) Pack of Lamberton, and Todd (Debi) Pack of Buffalo; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jay and Joyce Jacobson; his parents-in-law, Clifford and Melba Pack; grandparents; and a nephew, David Jacobson.