Gale W. ‘Colonel Jake’ Jacobs

Gale Wing Jacobs “Col. Jake Jacobs”, 81, of Payette, Idaho went to be with his Lord on Feb. 23, 2021 at his home in Payette.
 Jake was born Aug. 13, 1939 in Sugar City, Idaho to Glen and Alice Jacobs, he was the third of seven children.
 When he was six his family moved from Sugar City to Weiser. There they had a four-story house on Cove Road that was farmed. His mother had a long care nursing home in their home where Jake loved to help with the older residents. This started his kind loving zest for all people. Anything he could do for a person he would.
 After graduating from Weiser High School, he enlisted in the Marine Corps with his best friend Richard Stone “Bones”. He had to repeat boot camp because in the seventh week of training he broke his collar bone demonstrating King of the Ring.
 In the fall of 1961 while on leave he married the love of his life Pasty Debban, who had a son Ron; nine months and six days later they were blessed with a daughter Patricia.
 When he returned home after being honorably discharged from the military they lived briefly in Weiser, Idaho and Ontario, Oregon before settling at their permanent address in Payette, Idaho where they bought their first home. In 1977, he built a new home on the same lot.
 Jake was always a hard worker. He worked in Nyssa, Ore., at OK Tire retreading tires until it was moved to Fruitland in 1969. He then started his own business; first a tire store/secondhand store, and then Jake’s Auction in Payette at the old grocery store on Center and 7th.
 He taught himself to be an auctioneer by auctioning bushes, trees and fence posts while driving through the mountains on family adventures. In the mid 1970s he acquired Sav-On Second Hand Store, across from Idaho Power.
 He sold Jake’s Auction and went out on the road doing two or three tool auctions a week. We traveled through Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Nebraska and Utah with his sister and brother-in-law, Caroline and Dave Craft and their daughter Pamela. A very exciting family adventure as well as being his kids’ teacher along the way.
 When he was done with the traveling auction, he set out on his next adventure, Sav-On Discount Building Material, the grand opening was in August of 1980. He was fortunate to have a lot of his family work for him; his sons Ron Jacobs and Ralph Uphoff; daughter Patti and Steve Davis; grandsons Jacob and Justin Davis; brother-in-law James Debban and sons John and Jeff; sisters-in-law Caroline Craft and Linda Kinney; nephews Brian Bourosa, Bob White, Scott Butler, and many more. His business was very successful and took care of all his family and friends.
 When the 1997 flood happened, Jake rallied around his customers filling and delivering sandbags for those in need, helping people with building materials that couldn’t afford it and had no flood insurance; one of his ways of giving back to a community that he loved so dearly. Jake loved his customers from all over the northwest. Sav-On was his life six days a week until he sold it in July 2020.
 Jake, Patsy and kids went camping, digging for bottles, and had many other adventures with their best friends, Gene and Judy Coffelt and daughters Darcy and Wendy.
 Jake and family were very involved in the community. To raise money for the Girl Scouts they wrote to many movie stars, senators and the President. The response back was huge. An incredible amount was raised. They were involved in the Boomerang Days, now known as the Apple Blossom Festival. Jake was also involved deeply in benefit auctions for Ducks Unlimited, Rocky Mountain Elk, Quail Unlimited, Paycee McFund, Scotch Pines Golf Course and many more.
 Jake was a bad ass hunter and had gotten his 40th elk two years ago. He had an awesome goose pit at Richard and Liz Long’s that he was able to hunt up until the end of January this year with his best bud Terry Heeb.
 He loved camping, gold mining, hunting, fishing, bottle digging, rock hunting and cutting rock (thank you again Richard); anything he could do in the wilderness. He looked forward to the Jacob’s family reunions at his brother Wallace and Elva Jacobs in Soda Spring, Idaho. A very special time for all.
 Jake was a Marine and was very proud of his service. He shared it with all his customers. In 2008 he won the Grande Supreme Sweepstake Ribbon in the Apple Blossom Parade for the float he built honoring all branches of the military. The following year he was honored to be the Grand Marshal for the Apple Blossom Festival.
 Jake was a dedicated loving husband to his wife Patsy for 59 years. He was the best loving caring mentor to his daughter, son, grandchildren, and great-grandchild. He will be greatly missed.
 Jake is survived by his wife Patsy Jacobs; daughter Patricia Davis and husband Steve; sons Ron Jacobs and wife Tammy and Ralph Uphoff; grandchildren Becky, Heather, Jacob Jennifer and Justin, as well as adopted granddaughter Abby Bohlmann; 15 plus great-grandchildren; brothers Wallace and wife Elva Jacobs, Leon Jacobs, Ronald and wife Sue Jacobs, Lawrence “Joe” and wife Lynette Jacobs; sister Joann and husband Jim Grimmett; sisters-in-law Linda Kinney, Lorna Debban, Lanny Jacobs, Karen Fitzgerald and Linda Sue; and brother-in-law Stanley Fitzgerald.
 He was preceded in death by his parents Glen and Alice Jacobs; brother Maxwell Jacobs; father-in-law and mother-in-law Owen and Lela Fitzgerald; brothers-in-law James Debban, Wayne Kinney and Mike Fitzgerald; sister-in-law Caroline Craft; and one great-grandson.
 A Celebration of Life will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 20 at R&L Event Center in Payette. It will be a potluck with singing, talking and having a good time for all. It’s what dad would want.
 Condolences may be made to Jake’s family at www.shafferjensen.com.
 Thank you, Officer Ryan Rice, Payette County Coroner Keith Schuller; and Mark Reed from Shaffer-Jensen for getting us through this tough time. And a very special thank you to Danny and Theresa Rourk and Leland Silkwood for taking care of business.