Heaven gained a very good man this week. He went by so many names in our family. Bob, Robert, Papa, Grandpa Jacobsen. He had dated my mom in high school, and when they re-met at a high school reunion, a friendship was rekindled. When my mom was diagnosed with cancer, he asked her to marry him in 1981 and moved her from Montana to Virginia, finally settling in North Carolina.
They say you don’t marry the person, you marry the family, and he sure did! At some point, my sister and her family, and then Tony and Mindy and I (Kelli was on the way) stayed with them for extended periods of time. He had been alone for several years as his first wife had died, but he took all the activity and kids in stride!
He took care of Mom and treated her like a jewel, until she passed away 14 years after they were married; then he took her back “home” to South Dakota to be buried near her family. He ultimately moved back to South Dakota too, and married Claire a few years later. Claire and her husband had been friends of both Mom and Robert; she was not related to me at all but she would tell me sweet stories about my mom whenever I would see her. I will never forget her kindness.
I’m thankful for Robert and for his impact on our lives. I’m praying for Claire as they say goodbye to a very good man. I know we will see him in heaven one day!
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