Bernard Jacobi, 85, of Bowler, passed away on Friday, Nov. 15, 2019. Born on March 14, 1934, in Electra, Texas, Bernard is the son of the late Aloysius and Marie (Miles) Jacobi. After losing his parents at the age of 12, Bernard was raised by his grandparents, Mamie and George Miles, and also lived with his best friend from a Comanche family in Gladewater, Texas.
Bernard finished school in Oklahoma City and worked and played with many friends of the Great Chief Quanna Parker descendants. Bernard worked in the oil fields in West Texas and New Mexico and was known to make the comment that he “went from a red neck to a rough neck and to a leather neck” when he joined the United States Marine Corps in 1954.
While in the Marines, he was stationed in Korea, Japan, and Hawaii. He received an honorable discharge and was awarded various medals including: the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal and an MI Rifle Badge.
After serving in the Marine Corps, Bernard worked for Conveyor Air Craft in San Diego and later for Douglas Air Craft in Lakewood, California. He also worked for a railroad construction company in Knoxen, Montana, as a gandie dancer (driving spikes for the railroad). In 1962, Bernard relocated to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he worked for Whirlpool Corporation and Gould Batteries.
St. Paul is also where Bernard met his wife, Elaine (Welch) Jacobi. The two were married on May 1, 1965, at the Lutheran Church of the Wilderness in the Stockbridge-Munsee Community in Bowler. Bernard fulfilled a promise to Elaine when they traveled to California.
They traveled to Texas to visit his family and they lived in Banning, California, in the late 1960s. Bernard worked at Deutsch Electronics in Banning. After becoming homesick, Bernard moved his family back to St. Paul, Minnesota, and eventually to the Stockbridge-Munsee community near Elaine’s parents, Miles and Zena Welch, where he enjoyed driving country roads and fishing Shawano Lake.
Bernard attended Antigo Technical School and worked as a welder at Atlas Conveyor in Clintonville. Bernard was of great support to his wife in her many tribal projects, putting up with numerous meetings and piles of paperwork.
He loved to cook and work in the garden. He had a love nature and a love for animals, especially his buddy, J.J., a little white shi tzu. Bernard and J.J. loved to go for rides in his Toyota truck. Bernard also loved rides with his daughter and son to the casino and to visit friends.
Bernard is survived by his beautiful wife of 54 years, Elaine; a daughter, Leah “Dolly Dumplin” (Ken) Winkler, of Stevens Point; six grandchildren, Shane Pecore-Jacobi, Cory Winkler, Dylan Winkler, Cody Jacobi, Joshua Jacobi and Ashley (Tim) Tuttle; 11 great-grandchildren; sisters, Theresa (Floyd) Jacobi, Delores (Joseph) Caruana and Pam (Allen) Lancello; brothers, Robert “Mickey” Jacobi and Mark (Becky) Jacobi; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins; special friends, Larry Klemp, Jerry Young, Jim Schultz, Melinda “Preacher Lady,” the Rev. Ernie Geeting and Roxy, and the Rev. Paul Johnson.
He was preceded in death by a son, Shannon; his parents; grandparents, Mamie and George Miles; a sister, Joanne Tallent; and a sister-in-law, Patsy Jacobi.
A memorial service for Bernard is being planned for this summer and will be held at the Lutheran Church of the Wilderness.
Bernard’s family would like to extend special thanks to the Stockbridge-Munsee community, the Stockbridge-Munsee Clinic, ThedaCare Hospital and At Home Hospice, and to Evergreen Nursing Home and the special angels that gave enlightening and compassionate care to him.
www.swedbergfuneralhome.com
Bernard Jacobi
