CARL EDWIN JACOBSON
U.S. Army
CARL EDWIN was born December 17, 1901 in Shelby Township, Blue Earth County, Minnesota and died June 03, 1982, Prescott, Yavapai County, Arizona. He is buried at the Masonic Cemetery in Prescott, Yavapai County, Arizona.
With his parents and two older siblings, Carl immigrated from Minnesota to Alberta, Canada between the years of 1902 and 1903.
When Carl was in his teens, he moved from Calmar, Alberta to the United States, as he did not wish to be a farmer, wanting a more comfortable life, and settled in California. As Carl was born in Minnesota, he was already a U.S. citizen.
Carl Edwin served in the United States Army between December 08, 1922 and December 07, 1925 and received an Honorable Discharge. During his short career in the service, he was stationed in Hawaii.Carl's main occupation was a school janitor in various California school districts. He last job before retiring was at A to Z Billboard Company in Eureka, California, as a painter.
Carl Edwin was more commonly known as the "Colonel" or "Jake" to his close friends and family.
During the Prohibition, Carl was known to make a little "bathtub gin".
Carl belonged to the Swedish Singing Society in San Jose, Santa Clara County, California. He loved to sing. He also played the guitar and the harmonica at the same time. He developed a harmonica holder so he could play both instruments at the same time (early 1930s). The same style harmonica holder is used by musicians today.MABEL "GRACE" PENCE
MABEL GRACE PENCE was born April 11, 1908 in Pittsfield, Pike County, Illinois and died October 20, 1981 in Mt. View, Santa Clara County, California. She is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in San Jose, Santa Clara County, California. She was the daughter of THOMAS PENCE and MABEL PENSTONE.
Mabel was more commonly known as "GRACE" to her friends and family.
MARRIED LIFE
When Carl moved to San Jose, California he met Harvey Pence at Rosenburgs Cannery in Santa Clara where they both worked. Harvey introduced Carl to his sister Grace and the two later married. Carl and Grace were married on June 12, 1927 in San Jose, Santa Clara County, California.
Carl and Grace had one child.
I. HELEN LEONA JACOBSON, was born on February 26, 1928 in San Jose, Santa Clara County, California at the family home on Hester Street and died March 4, 2009 in Santa Cruz, California.
Helen Leona married ROY WILLIAM KAY . Together they had three daughters.
Helen Leona met and married ROY JAMES LEAMEY on November 16, 1970. Together they had one son.
II. LIVING Grace had a daughter from her previous marriage to FRANK HENRY KELLY.
During their marriage, Carl's two younger sisters came to live with them from Canada. Apparently in Canada, when a child turned 16 years, they were to quit school to help the family. As the two girls wanted to finish their education, they came and lived with their brother.
Carl and Grace's marriage lasted 13 years, ending about 1940. One day he came home and found all of his belongings on the front porch.
ETTA "SHIRLEY" FOSTER
ETTA "SHIRLEY" FOSTER was born April 07, 1895 in Alpena, Alger County, Michigan, and died September 05, 1985 in Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County, California. She was the daughter of WILLIAM FOSTER and ETTA MOONEY.
To put herself through college, Shirley, as she was more commonly known as, worked at the Grand Hotel at Mackinac Island, Michigan as a waitress. Shirley was a devout Christian Science. Shirley didn't have any children of her own, but always considered her pupils her "kids".
MARRIED LIFE
Carl met Shirley at Roosevelt High School where they both worked, he as a janitor and she as a music teacher. They married July 2, 1943 at Carmel-By-the-Sea in Monterey, California. Carl and Shirley were lovingly known to their grandchildren as Grandpa Daddy and Grandma Shirley.
Shirley was a well-known and admired music teacher in the Santa Clara and Humboldt Counties School Districts in California. She was very active with various singing organizations - groups in school and out of school.
The following is from a newspaper article with her picture that will give the reader an idea of her success as a teacher:"Mrs. Shirley Jacobson, who will handle the vocal music and assist with the typing work, needs no introduction to this community. Those who know her have congratulated the school authorities on their selection. Mrs. Jacobson was active in Fortuna (California) several years before she decided to join the high school staff. She has had a splendid and successful career in public school music before she moved to Fortuna. From 1915 to 1917 Mrs. Jacobson successfully taught vocal music at the Grosse Point, Michigan Junior High School and from 1917 to 1918 she taught at the Highland Park Michigan high school. From 1927 to 1928 Mrs. Jacobson taught music at Denair, California and from there she went to San Jose where she successfully taught music from 1928 to 1943. Mrs. Shirley Jacobson taught private vocal lessons in Fortuna prior to the time that she and Mr. Jacobson moved to Arcata (California). She always has assisted in civic activities and when she moved north, from Fortuna, her heart remained at Fortuna, therefore she rejected an opportunity to return to San Jose, but decided to join the Fortuna Union High School faculty when the enrollment made it necessary to secure a second music teacher. Mrs. Jacobson has taken special work in teaching typing at San Jose State College. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobson have moved back to Fortuna. It is her " (then article is cut off).
From another newspaper article (source: Arcata Union-May 26, 1961) shows a picture of Carl and Shirley Jacobson posing during Northern Humboldt Teachers association banquet, honoring Shirley for her 25 years as a teacher in Humboldt County (California).
After they both retired, Carl and Shirley moved to Prescott, Arizona. There, Carl died in 1982.
Obituary from paper clipping, newspaper unknown, but probably local Prescott,
Arizona paper:
Masonic funeral services will be held at 1p.m. Monday in Memory Chapel Mortuary for Carl E. Jacobson. Mr. Jacobson died June 3, 1082 (misprint-should be 1982) at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Prescott. He was 80. Mr. Jacobson was born in Minnesota. He was a retired painter who moved to Prescott 10 years ago from California. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and a member of the Aztlan Masonic Lodge #1 in Prescott. He is survived by his wife Shirley, a daughter Helen Leamey of California, several brothers and sisters residing out of state, several grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Internment will be in the Masonic Cemetery in Prescott. Arrangements are being made by Memory Chapel Mortuary.
After Carl Edwin's death in 1982, Shirley was moved to Santa Cruz, California to be near her step-daughter. She lived in a retirement home located near the Boardwalk by the ocean until her passing in September of 1985. Her stepdaughter, Helen, would visit Shirley quite frequently there and was informed by staff, who would observe Shirley and a close friend off in a corner, smoking their cigarettes "conspiring" on how to escape.
Looking at all of their personal photographs and also from memory, Carl and Shirley were very devoted to each other and very much in love.