Obituary: Donald “Jake” Jacobson – Portland Press Herald

ST. GEORGE – Donald “Jake” Jacobson passed away on Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at Maine Medical Center in Portland surrounded by close family members, the Cyrs and the Mynicks.

Jake was born on November 12, 1931 to Robert and Georgie (Smalley) Jacobson. He was raised in St. George, attended Long Cove School, graduated from St. George High School and has lived in the city his entire life. Jake was proud of his Swedish heritage and proud to be an American.

Jake served in the US Army during the Korean War. After returning from Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he was employed at the Maine State Penitentiary. Through hard work and the example of his older brother Kenneth, Jake rose through the ranks to become Colonel and Chief of Security for the Maine State Penitentiary, a position he held for decades. He was known for his fairness and insight in the treatment of prisoners, as well as for his excellent skill, judgment, and reliability in directing and cooperating with prison staff. After retiring from the Department of Corrections, Jake worked for Maritime Energy as a carpenter for a number of years.

From a young age, Jake enjoyed being outdoors with friends and having the opportunity to contribute to his family by hunting, collecting shells, delivering milk from Watt’s farm, working in the quarry, collecting balm tips for wreaths and mowing lawns . He was also a talented carpenter and craftsman, digging his own well, constantly raking his garden, loving a good burn and shingling his own roof in his eighth decade.

Jake took an early and enduring interest in all things baseball and has never been happier than when he was playing ball or listening to or watching a ball game. Known as a talented pitcher in his high school years, he played for the St. George Torpedoes as part of the Twilight League for many years as a young adult. Jake was an avid fan of the A’s, Red Sox and Seadogs. In later life, Jake was delighted to be recruited by Joshua McPhail to serve as the bench coach for the 7th and 8th grade boys’ baseball team at St. George Elementary School. He appreciated this commitment.

Jake was also a self-proclaimed animal lover. Any cat (especially Arthur and Mookie) or dog (especially Shadow, Bubba, Punch, and Benny) lucky enough to be in Jake’s orbit were treated like royalty.

Jake loved tending to his smalleytown estate with its ever-expanding lawn. A tireless worker in everything he undertook, he was an independent, active man who was always looking for ways to help his friends and family and have fun.

Throughout his life he was particularly close to his brothers Raymond (Doris) and Kenneth Jacobson (Lucille). His early devotion and love for his parents and brothers expanded into a lifelong special affection for his nephew Kenneth Jr. and his wife Wendy Jacobson of Appleton, his nephew Steven Jacobson of St. George (Rosemarie), his great-niece Julie Jacobson Cyr (Brian), to Julie and Brian’s children, Katherine Cyr and Nolan Cyr, to his girlfriend Alison Wholey Briggs, and to Daniel Mynick and Anna Mynick, who were as close to Jake as any grandfather would be. Jake was part of the Wholey-Mynick family’s day-to-day life for decades and was loved by the Wholey-Fennessey family and the Wholey-Tourigny family, who met over the holidays and kept up with all their activities.

Jake is survived by his brother Kenneth Jacobson and his girlfriend Abbie Kierted.

In addition to his parents, Jake was deceased by his brother Raymond Jacobson, by his sisters-in-law Doris Jacobson and Lucille Jacobson; and by nephews Steven Jacobson and Kenneth Jacobson, Jr.

Friends – new and old, near and far – meant a lot to Jake. He leaves behind too many friends to list but had a special and strong bond with best friends Gary and Sandra Hyvarinen and with friends Ted Cotton, Jim Fales, Shelly and Bob Gagne, Randy Gagne, Lee and Nancy Kragh, Russell Lawrence, Jeannie Lewis, Steven Maxwell, Joshua McPhail, Karl Niemi, Timothy Polky, Bobby Joe Polky, and David Wakely.

The Wholey-Mynick and Cyr families would like to thank the St. George Ambulance crew who took care of Jake, the emergency room staff at Pen Bay Medical Center, and all the nurses and doctors who took care of Jake at Maine Medical Center. Her caring, skill, and kindness made Jake’s brief illness easier on him and on those he loved. Special thanks to the caregivers who added years to Jake’s life: Dr. Nena Ragay-Lundkvist from Toguz, Dr. Robert Merrill of Rockport and Dr. Jennifer Hillstrom from Portland.

The viewing will be held at the Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock St., Rockland on Monday, February 13 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. On Tuesday, February 14, at 11 a.m., there will be a service in celebration of life at First Baptist Church (33 Wiley’s Corner Rd., St. George), followed by fellowship refreshments at Wiley’s Corner Grange adjacent to the church. The burial takes place in the spring; The date will be announced at a later date.

To share a memory or condolences with Jake’s friends and family, please visit her book of memories at http://www.bchfh.com.

Donations in memory of Jake would be gratefully received by the

Pope Memorial Humane Society,

PO Box 1294,

Rockland, ME, 04841,

or through the

St George Firefighters & Ambulance Association,

PO Box 249,

Hireers’ Harbour, ME 04860

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