James Martin Jacobsen Obituary (1943 - 2015)

Born May 20, 1943, James Martin Jacobsen attended Lewis And Clark High School in Spokane, WA. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about James Martin Jacobsen.

Graduation Year	Class of 1961
Date of Birth	May 20, 1943
Date of Passing	May 29, 2015
About	James Martin Jacobsen The world lost a kind, generous, and gentle soul after a short illness on May 29, 2015. Dad was born on May 20, 1943 in Pomeroy, WA to Grace and Oliver Jacobsen. Grace died in an accident in 1949. In 1951, Oliver married Kathleen and she and her daughter Andrea joined their family. Dad graduated from Lewis and Clark in Spokane in 1961, and from the University of Washington in 1966, where friends introduced him to the love of his life, Joanne Plummer. They married in October 1966. He taught English at Chief Sealth, then at Roosevelt, where he also advised the yearbook and newspaper staffs. Dedicated to his students' success, he was well liked by his students and colleagues. After he retired in 1995, he and Joanne ran a small business until her unexpected death in 1998. Dad was generous in all things, helping friends, family, and neighbors, volunteering with local food banks, and giving to many charities. He grew amazing tomatoes and dahlias, which he loved to share, and was a fan of local sports, especially the Huskies. Dad was deeply loved and is survived by his daughter, Heidi Jacobsen-Watts, grandson Elliott Jacobsen-Watts, and son-in-law John Jacobsen-Watts, mother Kathleen Jacobsen, sister Andrea Hart and her family, mother-in-law Margaret Johnson, sisters-in-law Kathleen Gullberg and Elloise Lasich and their families, and his friend Karen Sellers. A celebration of his life will be held in July. If you would like to make a gift in his memory, food banks and nature-related causes are suggested. Published by The Seattle Times on Jun. 7, 2015.