Isabel Chafer Jacobson

Isabel Chafer Jacobson, 98, died December 17, 2010 at the Meridian in Lakewood, Colorado, where she had lived since 1998. She was born Isabel Jane Chafer on November 28, 1912 in a farmhouse in Jackson County, Iowa, five weeks after her father, Frank Chafer, was killed by lightning. Her mother, Alida, and brother, Alfred, and she moved in with her paternal grandparents on a farm near Keosauqua, Iowa. They moved to Clinton when she was seven. Her mother supported them by working outside the home as a tailor.

In high school Isabel competed in shorthand contests and after graduation worked as a legal secretary for a year before attending the University of Iowa as a political science major and later as a law student. She worked in the office of the Dean of the Law School to support her education and there met Arthur H. Jacobson, a law student, whom she married by eloping to Illinois September 15, 1934. They kept their marriage secret for nearly a year, so that she could retain her job. Arthur returned to his hometown of Waukon, Iowa, to practice law, and Isabel joined him foregoing her last year of law school.

They never moved from the home they built. They were active in bar, civic, political, church, youth and charitable projects. Isabel served on the library board for forty years, especially enjoying the acquisition committee. She also served for many years on the board of Farmers and Merchants Savings Bank in Waukon. After her husband's death in 1986, she became more active in the bank and worked full time for a decade. She then moved to Lakewood, Colorado to be near her son and his family.

Isabel remained a member of St. John's Lutheran Church and continued to stay up on current events by reading national magazines, as well as the Denver and Waukon papers. She developed an interest in sports in her later years and followed several Colorado teams as well as Iowa. She remained an avid reader. She liked to read and talk about ideas, places and current events, and she was always interested in the people and happenings in Waukon.

She is survived by children, Sibyl Jacobson and husband, Frank Rosiny of New York City; Ethan Jacobson and wife Gloria of Lakewood, Colorado; two grandchildren, their spouses, and two great grandchildren: Darren Jacobson and wife, Mariko Yamanouchi of Lakewood, Colorado; Nicole Jacobson Clarke and husband, Christopher Clarke, and their children, Natalie and Lucia, of Albuquerque, New Mexico; and a niece, Janice Chafer Bruns, and nephew, Jon Chafer, of Clinton, her god daughter and niece, Bette Tupy.

She is predeceased by her brother, Alfred, and niece, Beverly Chafer Reid.

Family services for Isabel were held in Colorado and private burial will be in Waukon. The family requests no flowers. Contributions can be made to T.A.S.C., Lutheran World Relief, CARE or other charity of your choice.