Louis C. Jacobson

Louis Jacobson passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family on September 11, 2025 at Long Term Care at the Humboldt County Memorial Hospital, Humboldt Iowa.

Louie was the 3rd of 6 children born to Bertha (Enockson) and Sylvan Jacobson at their family farm southeast of Ottosen. He attended Ottosen Elementary where he first met and antagonized Muriel Zinnel. She said he always pulled her braids and threw snowballs at her. During a popular weekly Saturday night drawing, Muriel won a ring. Louie asked to see it and promptly threw it over the railroad tracks never to be seen again. Muriel was crushed and often spoke of that event. Somehow, he turned it around and they fell in love.

After graduating from Ottosen High School in 1950, Louie attended Waldorf College in Forest City; only for a short time, but long enough to play a little football and learn the Norwegian National Anthem. He soon returned to Ottosen to marry Muriel on December 27, 1951 and start their life together.

A family quickly started to form with the birth of Tom, Patty, Brenda, Bonnie & Carrie within the span of 4 years. 12 years later, Becky was born. Their family was complete and they enjoyed life on the beautiful farm, riding ponies, exploring, working, spending endless amounts of time with cousins . . . really, the idyllic rural Iowa lifestyle.

Louie loved his family greatly. He loved speaking with friends, family and especially strangers, always discovering the ‘connection’ to them thru a mutual acquaintance or joint interest. He loved time at their cabin on Spirit Lake and Okoboji Lutheran Bible Camp. He loved fishing in Canada, the Great Lakes, South Dakota and even Cozumel, Mexico during a special 80th birthday family trip. He especially loved the Iowa Hawkeyes, particularly the Hayden Fry years. You could hear many ‘Waahoos’ and ‘Yippees’ from the tractor cab when they were having a good game. He was a proud FBN (Full Blooded Norwegian) who loved lutefisk & lefse. He was kind, funny, generous, ornery, loved to sing and had the strongest handshake known to man.

Louie & Muriel loved their time on the farm, building a new home in 1974, growing corn & soybeans, raising cattle, hogs & chickens, tending a large garden and yard. At the ages of 88 & 87, they made the difficult decision to move to Springvale Independent Living in Humboldt. They sold the acreage to Louie’s brother Ralph’s grandson, making their children the 6th generation Jacobsons on the family farm.

Louie was a life-long member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Ottosen until it closed in June of 2019. He & Muriel then attended St Olaf in Bode. He was a member of many church boards and the Ottosen Elevator Board.

Left to cherish his memories and tell his stories are his wife, Muriel, son Tom (Judy) Jacobson, Ottosen; daughters Patty (Jerry) Van Cleave, Carlisle; Brenda (Mike) Schuling, Ankey; Bonnie (Bob) Simon, Estherville; Carrie (Randy) Brock, Postville and Rebecca (Mark) Collins, West Bend, 17 grandchildren-Nicky, Jacob, Isaiah, Katie, Lydia, Anna, Jared, Caleb, Noel, Tyler, Lindsay, Elizabeth, Michael, Heather, Kyle, Meredith and Olivia, and 29 great grandchildren with 2 on the way. Brothers Jim, Humboldt & Arlan, Britt; sister Wanda (Klemme) Alexander, Hubbard and sisters-in-law Ruth Jacobson, Humboldt and Leslie Krause, Spencer.

He was preceded in death by his parents, sister & brother-in-law Charlotte & Allan Wehrspann; brother Ralph Jacobson, sisters-in-law Arlene Jacobson & June Jacobson and brothers-in-law Howard Klemme, Estel Alexander and Richard Krause.

He loved greatly and was greatly loved. We’ll miss him but know we’ll see him again some day. We envision his first days in heaven, reunited with many family & friends who have been there before him, and finding the connection to those he is just meeting for the first time. He taught us how to love Jesus.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 16th at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Bode. Visitation will be on Monday from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the church in Bode. Burial will be in Union Cemetery, Ottosen. The Mason-Lindhart Funeral & Cremation Service in Humboldt is in charge of the arrangements. www.masonlindhart.com