JACOBSON, Kenneth Orval 1925-2003

JACOBSON, WILKINS, MIHM

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 2/3/2009 at 20:51:47

LONGVILLE, Minn. - Kenneth "Jake" Orval Jacobson, 77, of Longville, Minn., formerly of Charles City, died November 13, 2003, at his home on Little Boy Lake, Wabedo Township.

He was born December 29, 1925, to John and Bertha (nee Wilkins) Jacobson in New Hampton. He was raised in the turmoil of the Great Depression. He attended school in New Hampton and Charles City, depending on where his father could find work. He missed a year of elementary school due to frequent moving. While attending Charles City High School, he lettered in football, basketball and track.

During his sophomore and junior years, he worked nights at Oliver Tractor Company assisting with the war effort. Following his junior year of high school, he was drafted and joined the United States Marine Corps. He received his initial training at Camp Pendleton, Cal. before deploying to the Pacific Theater. He served as a military policeman on Guam for the duration of the war. Following discharge, he returned to Charles City and graduated from high school.

After graduating, Ken worked at George P. Smith Door and Window Company and Northwestern Bell Telephone in Charles City. In 1951, he was employed by the Oliver Tractor Company (later White Farm Equipment) and spent most of the next 30 years working in the Experimental Department running dynamometers and later, building full-sized models of proposed production tractors. In 1970, he was transferred to the newly acquired Minneapolis Moline facility in Hopkins, Minn. In 1975, he was transferred to the White Farm Equipment Experimental Division in Libertyville, Ill. and remained until he retired in 1981.

He met his future wife, Mary Anna Mihm, St. Lucas, Iowa, in 1949 while she worked as a telephone operator for Northwestern Bell Telephone. They were married on December 27, 1949, in Charles City. Following retirement from White Farm Equipment, they built their home on Little Boy Lake. While residing near Longville, Ken worked 12 years as a groundskeeper for a family on Woman Lake.

Ken's life centered around working with his hands. He loved to spend the winter days tinkering in his shop and ice fishing; summers were spent fishing crappies and tending his lawn. He helped all his sons either build thier homes or extensively remodel them. His love for this country was reflected in his display of patriotism and support for our service members. He regularly wrote letters to his sons that contained narratives on the wonders of nature and how God's hand touched our lake country.

Ken and Mary loved to travel, and since retirement they made trips to Egypt, Isreal, Mexico, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada and Guatemala. He often commented that his favorite place in the world was Mayaro Beach on the southeast corner of Trinidad, where he would wander the expansive beach, watch the kids play soccer and enjoy a cold beverage with newfound friends.

Survivors include his wife of 53 years; his three sons, Kenneth of Sandpoint, Idaho, Daniel of Edmond, Okla. and William of Thunder Lake, Remer, Minn.; eleven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; and his youngest brother Glenn of Charles City.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, John, of Charles City.

Services were held Saturday, November 15, 2003, at Salem Lutheran Church in Longville. He desired to be cremated and his ashes will be spread according to his last wishes.