Cleo William "Jake" Jacob, 98, of Swansea, Ill., born Sept. 4, 1916, in Belleville, Ill., died Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014, at his residence. Mr. Jacob worked as a mail coder for Terminal Railroad at Union Station in St. Louis, Mo. He retired on Jan. 3, 1976, after 39 years of service. He was a World War II U.S. Navy veteran.He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and a friend to many. Jake enjoyed golfing and bowling. He was a member of the Monday Senior Golf League and the Thursday Mixed League at Yorktown Golf Course, and he bowled with the Friday Senior League at Bel-Air Bowl. He was also an avid dog lover and gardener. During the 1930's, Jake had a try-out with the St. Louis Cardinals organization. He turned them down because he said he couldn't raise a family on the salary they offered.Cleo was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Elizabeth M., nee Hippard, Jacob, whom he married on June 18, 1939, and who died on Nov. 13, 1992; his parents, Charles and Josephine, nee Dammrich, Jacob; four sisters, Minerva Bloomer, Aurelia Herbert, Dolores Hunt, and Fernell Talley; and two brothers, Norman Jacob and Stanley Jacob.Surviving are his three sons, Larry D. "Jake" (Betty) Jacob of Trenton, Ill., Rodney K. (Mary Jo) Jacob and Keith J. "Jake" Jacob, both of Belleville, Ill.; two grandchildren, Dr. Ryan (Michelle) Jacob and Shannon Jacob; two step-grandchildren, Dosker (Eva) Meyer and Crystal Carroll (friend, Michael); seven step-great-grandchildren, Corey (Amanda) Meyer, Caley and Caitlin Meyer, and Courtney, Carli, Greyson, and Emersen Carroll; two step-great-great-grandchildren, Justice and Nevaeh, with another on the way; and numerous nieces and nephews.Cleo's family would like to offer special thanks to the staff at Cambridge House of Swansea and to Hospice of Southern Illinois for their loving care and concern.Memorials may be made to Hospice of Southern Illinois or to the Cambridge House of Swansea Activity Fund. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.rennerfh.com.Visitation: Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014, at George Renner & Sons Funeral Home, Belleville, Ill. Funeral: Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, at the funeral home with Rev. Roger Reid officiating. Burial will follow at Lake View Memorial Gardens, Fairview Heights, Ill.