Paul Henry Jacobson

Paul Henry Jacobson was born in Woburn, Massachusetts, and spent his childhood in the suburbs of Washington DC, and on the beaches of Cape Cod. As the son of a Swedish immigrant and a first-generation Swedish-American, Paul was extremely proud of his family heritage. He loved celebrating traditional holidays, learning the language, visiting his homeland, and telling stories about his wise and witty Swedish relatives. One of his favorite sayings was, “You can always tell a Swede, but you can’t tell him much.”

Paul was a creative, intelligent, and energetic man. He had a gift for languages, double majoring in English and German at the University of Maryland. He was also a crafter and inventor from a young age, making his own bobsled, scuba diving “gear” (which thankfully did not drown him), sails for a boat, and more. Additionally, Paul had a gift for music, specializing as a teenager in the trumpet. On top of all this, Paul earned his pilot’s license and reveled in the opportunity to fly small aircraft.

With so many talents and interests, it’s no surprise that Paul found his way into a creative and challenging career—one that would make a significant mark on the musical world. In 1974, Paul began studying the classical guitar, both as a player and a builder. He met a self-taught luthier in Kansas City and quickly became obsessed with the idea of crafting his own instrument. As with everything Paul ever did, he threw himself into this pursuit with all his vim and vigor, and within a few years, he was building classical guitars by hand that would be played in concert by some of the most accomplished musicians in the world.

Paul’s career as a luthier lasted more than 40 years. He hung up his tools and apron in 2016 when his beloved wife Carol passed away. Though he no longer built or repaired instruments, he wrote extensively about his craft on his website, pjguitar.com, passing on his knowledge to the next generation of luthiers. He was also inducted into the Missouri Music Hall of Fame in 2016, a recognition of his tremendous achievements.

In Paul’s retirement, he rekindled two interests from his youth: playing the trumpet and flying planes. He performed on the trumpet at his church and in a small ensemble for his retirement community. And, if you can believe it, at the ripe young age of 80, Paul got back into the cockpit of a Cessna single-engine plane and piloted a successful flight under the watchful eye of an instructor. His strong drive for adventure and excellence never left him.

Paul was preceded in death by his wife Carol, with whom he is now experiencing the joy and peace of his heavenly home. Paul is survived by his children and their spouses: George and Lora Jacobson, Ruth Jacobson and Jeff Kaplan, Ellen and Chris Pantaenius, and Sarah and Christian Nord. Paul is also survived by many wonderful grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He loved his family dearly, and his legacy goes on.

A memorial service will be held at 4:00 pm on Saturday, March 1, at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 310 Johnston Parkway, Raymore, Missouri. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family requests that contributions be made in Paul’s name to Bethlehem Lutheran Church in support of their music ministry.

“Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre.” Psalm 150: 1–3