Delia Jacobsen

Delia Jacobsen, born December 13, 1933 in Corpus Christi, Texas passed peacefully on Thursday, February 17, in Mission Viejo, California with several loved ones at her bedside. Throughout her life she was lovingly known as “Lily” to her family and friends. Born to Faustino and Benita Villarreal, she was the third of 11 children, two who passed during infancy. Her remaining nine siblings included, in birth order, Mary, Earnest (“Blue”), Lydia, Ophelia (“Cody”), Faustino (“Tino”), Jessee, George, and Grace (“Gracie”). Delia was a loving mother to three children (Kenneth, Donald, and Kathy), five grandchildren (Tara, Laura, Evan, Jessica, and Eric), and six great-grandchildren.

Following high school, Delia married and was a devoted wife to a career Marine Corps officer for 25 years prior to their divorce. Having no college education and limited job market skills, she worked an additional 20+ years doing what she knew best: providing loving care for others, specifically, some elderly residents of Laguna Hills, California. When her own health began to decline, Delia entered assisted living when she was 83 years old and remained there until the time of her death. A memorial service will be held at Roselawn Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, Murfreesboro, TN on April 9, 2026.

Reflections upon her life from one of her children:

Mothers…they come in many varieties. Ours was simply awesome. For a good part of our early lives when our military father was deployed, she was a defacto single mom of three. Although we kids tried to help out, that still can’t be easy. Mom grew up having a profound appreciation for the value of education and sacrificed greatly to ensure her children enjoyed opportunities she, herself, did not. She supported her two sons through their college years, borrowing money to do so and when her oldest purchased his first home, she loaned him enough for a down payment by taking out an equity loan on her home. She later loaned her second son money she’d inherited to help him advance what became a thriving business venture. In most respects, she simply sacrificed anything to provide her children her steadfast love and a better life, even when doing so came at very high cost to herself. I suppose that’s typical of many moms when it comes to caring for their children; they think and act with their hearts even if it’s not always in their own best interest to do so. God bless them for that. There’s a lesson there for many to study and follow.

Being aware of most private details of her life, our mother deserved better than she often received. She deserved the chance to pursue a nursing degree to serve in that honorable career field. She deserved better than to be abandoned by the husband she supported throughout his career while faithfully loving him from afar, keeping his house, and raising their three children. She deserved better than to live out the remaining years of her life without a companion to comfort, care, and provide for her. She deserved better in other ways I won’t detail. I pray her surviving loved ones do better honoring her memory than she experienced during much of her life.

For all the times the people in her life failed or short-changed her, I’m reminded of Christ’s words on the cross: “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do.” May this wonderful woman rest in peace. We’ll most definitely see you later, Mom!