Richard Kenneth Jacobsen, Jake, was born in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois at 639 N. Lotus Avenue. Shortly thereafter, the family purchased a building and started a very successful flower shop on Chicago Avenue. Richard graduated from Howe Elementary School and he attended Austin High School where he was a member of the Reserved Officers Training Corp., ROTC. At an early age, he became interested in guns, cars, model trains, fishing, travel and history. He remained interested in these hobbies for the rest of his life.
Richard worked in the family business until his parents died in 1964 and 1965. Then he joined the Illinois National Guard and did a hitch in the U. S. Army where he was an expert marksman. He got his GED and had many certificates in various trade works. He owned and operated Presto Pizza for several years and, later, worked for his brother as a cabinet maker. While living in the Crystal Lake area, he met and married his wife in 1987. Soon, they had two daughters and his new role as a loving father began. One daughter remembered "I will never forget that no matter when or where it was, if my sister or I needed him, he was there. He would drive us wherever, whenever, do whatever he could to give us the things we wanted, and worked as hard as I have ever seen a person work, to give us the best. He believed in family and hard work, he preached education and compassion, he had a heart of gold. There wasn't a job below him or a person less than him, if it was what made them happy."
He loved to travel but preferred to drive versus fly. He especially enjoyed camping and fishing up in northern Minnesota. He was a quite a character; loved to tell jokes and had a new one for everyday and every occasion. He always could build a person up and make them smile. He frequently spoke about the wild antics that he was involved in with his brother Bobby; the pranks he and his buddies pulled in the army and outside of the military. He also enjoyed oil painting and he always spoke highly of his parents.
He never retired and continued to work part time as a route driver for a dental lab while living in Pell Lake, Wisconsin. In 2008, he was so proud to have become a grandfather and to have a little boy to take on bike rides, to the park, long trips to sporting goods stores and to ultimately spoil. Spending time with his grandson became his new favorite hobby and passion.
He was a kind and soft hearted man who aligned with the Lutheran religion. In even his toughest times, he was honest and dignified and kept his head up.
Richard worked in the family business until his parents died in 1964 and 1965. Then he joined the Illinois National Guard and did a hitch in the U. S. Army where he was an expert marksman. He got his GED and had many certificates in various trade works. He owned and operated Presto Pizza for several years and, later, worked for his brother as a cabinet maker. While living in the Crystal Lake area, he met and married his wife in 1987. Soon, they had two daughters and his new role as a loving father began. One daughter remembered "I will never forget that no matter when or where it was, if my sister or I needed him, he was there. He would drive us wherever, whenever, do whatever he could to give us the things we wanted, and worked as hard as I have ever seen a person work, to give us the best. He believed in family and hard work, he preached education and compassion, he had a heart of gold. There wasn't a job below him or a person less than him, if it was what made them happy."
He loved to travel but preferred to drive versus fly. He especially enjoyed camping and fishing up in northern Minnesota. He was a quite a character; loved to tell jokes and had a new one for everyday and every occasion. He always could build a person up and make them smile. He frequently spoke about the wild antics that he was involved in with his brother Bobby; the pranks he and his buddies pulled in the army and outside of the military. He also enjoyed oil painting and he always spoke highly of his parents.
He never retired and continued to work part time as a route driver for a dental lab while living in Pell Lake, Wisconsin. In 2008, he was so proud to have become a grandfather and to have a little boy to take on bike rides, to the park, long trips to sporting goods stores and to ultimately spoil. Spending time with his grandson became his new favorite hobby and passion.
He was a kind and soft hearted man who aligned with the Lutheran religion. In even his toughest times, he was honest and dignified and kept his head up.
Richard Kenneth Jacobsen, Jake, was born in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois at 639 N. Lotus Avenue. Shortly thereafter, the family purchased a building and started a very successful flower shop on Chicago Avenue. Richard graduated from Howe Elementary School and he attended Austin High School where he was a member of the Reserved Officers Training Corp., ROTC. At an early age, he became interested in guns, cars, model trains, fishing, travel and history. He remained interested in these hobbies for the rest of his life.
Richard worked in the family business until his parents died in 1964 and 1965. Then he joined the Illinois National Guard and did a hitch in the U. S. Army where he was an expert marksman. He got his GED and had many certificates in various trade works. He owned and operated Presto Pizza for several years and, later, worked for his brother as a cabinet maker. While living in the Crystal Lake area, he met and married his wife in 1987. Soon, they had two daughters and his new role as a loving father began. One daughter remembered "I will never forget that no matter when or where it was, if my sister or I needed him, he was there. He would drive us wherever, whenever, do whatever he could to give us the things we wanted, and worked as hard as I have ever seen a person work, to give us the best. He believed in family and hard work, he preached education and compassion, he had a heart of gold. There wasn't a job below him or a person less than him, if it was what made them happy."
He loved to travel but preferred to drive versus fly. He especially enjoyed camping and fishing up in northern Minnesota. He was a quite a character; loved to tell jokes and had a new one for everyday and every occasion. He always could build a person up and make them smile. He frequently spoke about the wild antics that he was involved in with his brother Bobby; the pranks he and his buddies pulled in the army and outside of the military. He also enjoyed oil painting and he always spoke highly of his parents.
He never retired and continued to work part time as a route driver for a dental lab while living in Pell Lake, Wisconsin. In 2008, he was so proud to have become a grandfather and to have a little boy to take on bike rides, to the park, long trips to sporting goods stores and to ultimately spoil. Spending time with his grandson became his new favorite hobby and passion.
He was a kind and soft hearted man who aligned with the Lutheran religion. In even his toughest times, he was honest and dignified and kept his head up.
Richard worked in the family business until his parents died in 1964 and 1965. Then he joined the Illinois National Guard and did a hitch in the U. S. Army where he was an expert marksman. He got his GED and had many certificates in various trade works. He owned and operated Presto Pizza for several years and, later, worked for his brother as a cabinet maker. While living in the Crystal Lake area, he met and married his wife in 1987. Soon, they had two daughters and his new role as a loving father began. One daughter remembered "I will never forget that no matter when or where it was, if my sister or I needed him, he was there. He would drive us wherever, whenever, do whatever he could to give us the things we wanted, and worked as hard as I have ever seen a person work, to give us the best. He believed in family and hard work, he preached education and compassion, he had a heart of gold. There wasn't a job below him or a person less than him, if it was what made them happy."
He loved to travel but preferred to drive versus fly. He especially enjoyed camping and fishing up in northern Minnesota. He was a quite a character; loved to tell jokes and had a new one for everyday and every occasion. He always could build a person up and make them smile. He frequently spoke about the wild antics that he was involved in with his brother Bobby; the pranks he and his buddies pulled in the army and outside of the military. He also enjoyed oil painting and he always spoke highly of his parents.
He never retired and continued to work part time as a route driver for a dental lab while living in Pell Lake, Wisconsin. In 2008, he was so proud to have become a grandfather and to have a little boy to take on bike rides, to the park, long trips to sporting goods stores and to ultimately spoil. Spending time with his grandson became his new favorite hobby and passion.
He was a kind and soft hearted man who aligned with the Lutheran religion. In even his toughest times, he was honest and dignified and kept his head up.
