Donald Edward Jacobs, veteran, creative artist
Donald Edward Jacobs passed away, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. He was born in Mineola, N.Y., March 7, 1940, to Larry Jacobs, a reporter for the Washington Post, and Margaret M. Jacobs, a homemaker.
When Don was 6, his parents divorced and his mother took him and his older brother, Tom, to California, where she had grown up. The three of them lived in a little house in West Los Angeles. When Don was 12, they moved to Culver City, Calif., where Don went to junior and senior high school. In 11th grade, Don was convinced he was a great artist and was told he should go to college and find a more dependable career. He applied to the U.S. Naval Academy, where his brother had just graduated. Fortunately, he was accepted into the Class of 1963. Don struggled through his junior year before finally learning how to effectively study. His senior year grades were very good.
After graduating, Don went into flying only to find out that he was very uncomfortable doing that and quit the program. He was assigned to an amphibious landing ship in San Diego. He later transferred to a destroyer there and river boats in southern Vietnam. In 1968, Don left active duty with the Navy. He later retired as a commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves. In late 1968, he went to work at the Central Intelligence Agency in Northern Virginia. Initially, he was involved in special operations, a carryover from his Vietnam experiences. Fortunately for him, a senior officer put him in contact with a new technical program office that hired him. The program was the building and operation of the ship Glomar Explorer, which was designed to pick up a sunken Soviet submarine in the Pacific Ocean that the U.S. Navy had located. The operation in 1974 was successful. During this time, he met Charlotte Still who also worked at the agency. In 1973 they were married.
After the Glomar Explorer Program, Don worked in the agency's Directorate of Science and Technology first on the director's staff, then in three offices involved in signals intelligence (SIGINT) collection.
In 1995, he followed his dream and retired the day he turned 55. He and Charlotte had both advanced to the senior officer levels by this time. They moved to the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego.
For seven years, they took care of Don's mother and aunt who lived nearby in Pacific Beach. The ladies both died, and after 18 years on the West Coast, Don and Charlotte moved to Rehoboth Beach, where they built a cozy one-level house. Since then, Don has spent his time largely doing portraits as a hobby. Charlotte is a volunteer at their church and in a couple of community activities.
From his perspective, Don believes he has had a wonderful life thanks to God and Charlotte. His spirit of service, artistic talent, and warm presence will be deeply missed but fondly remembered by all who knew him. May his legacy of love and dedication continue to inspire us.
Don is survived by his wife of 51 years, Charlotte Jacobs; a brother, Tom; and a sister, Anne, both of Hawaii; a sister, Mary, of California; a brother-in-law, John Still; and sister-in-law, Sandra Jofre of Naples, Italy; a sister-in-law, Sharon of Dover; and nieces and nephews from the Atlantic to the Pacific!
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association in Annapolis, Md., usna.com/give; or Westminster Presbyterian Church, 301 King Charles Ave., Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971.
A celebration of life will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20, at Parsell Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 16961 Kings Hwy., Lewes, where friends and family may visit beginning at 2 p.m.
Anyone unable to attend the services may view the livestream at: parsellfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/permalink/11531291/LTWebcast.
Visit Don’s Life Memorial webpage at parsellfuneralhomes.com.
