Dorene Jacobson, age 84, passed away on Thursday February 29, 2024, at Luther Hospital in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Dorene was born on March 11, 1939, in Woodville, Wisconsin. She was baptized and confirmed at Rush River Lutheran Church. She grew up in Woodville on her parents’ dairy farm and graduated from Woodville High School in 1957.
She began dating Walter Jacobson in high school. While Walter was on leave from the United States Airforce (USAF), they were married on April 18, 1959, at Rush River Lutheran Church in Baldwin, Wisconsin. They initially lived at Tyndall Airforce Base in Panama City, Florida. They then moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon, while Walter attended the Oregon Technology Institute and Dorene worked as a finance clerk. After two years in Oregon, they moved to Minnesota and eventually to Hudson, Wisconsin.
She had her first son, Greg, in 1962 followed by the birth of their second son, Brian, in 1966.
In 1967, Walt and Dorene purchased the Skelly Oil gas station in Woodville and moved to Woodville where they remained for the rest of Dorene’s life. She served as the bookkeeper for the Skelly Oil Station.
In 1972, Walt and Dorene sold the Skelly business and purchased a Pontiac Automotive dealership in Woodville. Again, Dorene served as the bookkeeper, administrative chief, and financial gatekeeper. She remained actively involved in the auto dealership as it expanded to Baldwin, Wisconsin. She retired in 1998.
Throughout their working years, Dorene and Walter shared the company of many great friends and family. They enjoyed traveling to Canada, Hawaii, Australia, and all over the United States. In town, they loved getting together for card parties and attending community events.
Dorene was a wonderful mother and did everything to provide for her boys. She attended every sporting event, was a terrific cook, and put up with a great deal of hassling.
Dorene’s true calling was to be “Grandma Jake.” After being surrounded by only boys for years, she was blessed to have granddaughters Emily, Noel, and Megan. She took great joy in buying the girls many Easter dresses, playing with dolls and teaching the girls how to make Norwegian dishes. She loved walking through the Syttende Mai parade with whatever grandchildren were old enough to walk with her.
She was such a fantastic grandma to her grandsons Logan, Taylor, Dalton and Dallas. They could eat her fresh bread and cinnamon rolls faster than she could make them. Dorene looked forward to taking all the grandkids for their annual school shopping trips, with lunch and laughs being the best part.
She was highly involved in making her community a better place, be it volunteering to help at Zion Lutheran Church, the Women’s Club, Treasures of the Heart, or other town activities.
Dorene leaves behind a legacy of focusing on faith, family, friends, and community.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Joe and Dorothy Albrightson, brother Donald Albrightson, sister Joanne Jensen, brother-in-law Art Jensen, sister-in-law Carol Pritchard, sister-in-law Eleanor Voelker, brother-in-law Richard Punchard, and brother-in-law Chuck Zabrowski.
Dorene is survived by her husband, Walter, and their two children: Greg Jacobson (Mary), Brian Jacobson (Mindy); as well as seven grandchildren: Emily Holle (Jordan), Noel Gawrysiak, Logan Jacobson (Meggen), Taylor Jacobson (Lily), Dalton Jacobson (Samantha), Dallas Jacobson (Brianna), and Megan King (Alex); and seven (soon to be eight) great grandchildren: Margo, Drew, Heath, Odette, Lola, Harper, and Elliot.
Arrangements are being handled by the Keehr Funeral Home of Spring Valley, Wisconsin. Visitation will take place at Zion Lutheran Church on Friday, March 8, 2024, from 4 to 7:00 p.m., followed by the funeral at Zion Lutheran Church at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 9,2024.
