Ann S. Jacobs

Ann Jacobs, age 98, of Delmar, NY, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, January 2, 2026.

Ann was born May 1, 1927, in Morton Grove, IL, a suburb of Chicago, to Charles and Anna Schmitt. She lived there with her family until she attended Beloit College in Beloit, WI where she earned a BA degree in Psychology in 1949. She also attended Gregg Business College in Chicago as well as the Northwestern School of Journalism.

At Beloit, Ann was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority and the synchronized swimming team. Swimming was a lifelong joy for Ann; from spending time with her family “up at the Lake” at Browns Lake in Burlington, WI, to synchronized swimming in college, and later, swimming with her grandkids.

She spoke fondly of one summer during college when she was able to use her extensive knowledge of the water as a Girl Scout Counselor in Vermont. Ann was a Unit Leader and Assistant Waterfront Director, sharing her talents by teaching swimming, lifesaving, water ballet, mountain climbing, outdoor cooking, and canoeing; an adventure she and her friends reminisced about for many years.

After college, Ann worked as a secretary for several years. It was while working as a secretary for Jesse Jacobs that she was introduced to her future husband, Jesse’s nephew, Dr. Richard L. Jacobs. She and Rich were married in 1954 and they celebrated 65 wonderful years together before his passing in 2019. In 1975, Ann and Richard moved their family to Delmar, NY, following Rich’s promotion to Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at Albany Medical Center.

In Delmar, Ann pursued many interests, including quilting, weaving, and archaeology.

An avid sewer, she enjoyed many years with the QUILT group, where she created beautiful quilts, some of which won ribbons in QUILT shows. A number of her quilts were donated to charities and the rest will remain cherished heirlooms.

In addition to sewing, Ann also was a talented weaver. She owned several large floor looms and typically had several projects going on at once. A few of these projects won ribbons as well. When weaving became too difficult, she donated her looms to a family who lost their looms in the Schoharie Creek flood.

Ann was always a “cat person.” She grew up with cats as pets, a love that continued into her adult life as well. Throughout her life, Ann can be remembered for being at her sewing machine, loom, or working on a quilt in her lap, along with many cats “supervising” her as she stitched.

Archaeology was another one of Ann’s beloved hobbies. She was heavily involved in the Bethlehem Archaeology Group (BAG) where she wrote research papers on nails and Dutch homes. Her papers on these topics became key resources for her fellow archaeologists. For several years she was the Director of the lab. She loved digging up artifacts from many different sites around Bethlehem, then identifying and labeling them, remarking “The digging hooks you; you never know what you’ll find.”

Ann was predeceased by her husband, Dr. Richard L. Jacobs in 2019. She is survived by her three children: Greg of Delmar, NY, Hugh (Barb) of Glenmont, NY, and Leanne (Tim) of Delmar, NY; and five beloved grandchildren: Apryl, Tess, Calla, Katherine, and Harrison.

As per Ann’s wishes, there will be no services. In lieu of flowers, and in honor of her love of cats, she asked that donations be made to Whiskers Animal Benevolent League, PO BOX 11190, Albany, NY 12211.