Dave “Jake” Jacobsen, beloved husband, father, grandfather, coach and friend died unexpectedly at his Santa Barbara home on April 9, 2013. The son of Earl and Lavine Jacobsen, Dave was born in 1940 in Santa Barbara and graduated from Santa Barbara Catholic High School. This is where he met the love of his life, Kathleen Fox. They were married from 1961 until his death and raised two children and many cats and dogs.
Dave is best remembered as a master craftsman who could invent, fabricate, or repair whatever was needed to get the job done. Fittingly, he spent his career pursuing his mechanical and creative interests through his work for Santa Barbara County and for more than 20 years at the UCSB Marine Biology department. Dave’s house was the hub for friends and neighbors who knew that he could solve their mechanical problems, make a great cup of coffee, and talk sports. This is also where he operated his own construction/mechanical/electrical/automotive/handy-man/if-its-broken-I-can-fix-it business. Dave’s passions also extended to the community. A football player at Catholic High and Santa Barbara City College, he coached or assisted youth baseball and football teams for YFL, Dos Pueblos High School, and was an avid fan of Bishop High athletics. His hobbies included building and racing boats, motorcycles, NASCAR, barbequing, and travel. He was age 72 but was never old.
Known for his economy of words, Dave had a sly and mischievous sense of humor with a deep sense of loyalty to his friends and family. He also had strong ties to his Native American heritage and was a direct descendant of several Santa Cruz Island Chumash chiefs. Predeceased by his parents, three brothers, and two grandsons Tanner and Cody, he is survived by his dear wife Kathy; daughter Terri (Thielst) of Los Olivos; son Ron of Washington State; three grandchildren Amanda, Jessica, Jacob (Thielst); one brother George Dominques; nine nieces; four nephews, and a legion of mourning friends and relatives.
There will be a rosary at the Welch-Ryce-Haider Chapel on Ward Road in Goleta on Monday April 22 at 7 p.m. A mass will be celebrated at St. Raphael’s Catholic Church on Hollister Ave. in Goleta on Tuesday April 23 at 10 a.m. Remembrance donations should be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org, (800) 822-6344), wolf rescue through WHAR-Wolves (www.whar.org, (805) 610-6109), and Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (www.sbnature.org, 805-682-4711 ext. 110) or a charity of choice.
