John Frank Jacobson

Lieutenant Commander John Frank Jacobson, U.S. Navy, retired, of Annapolis, Maryland, passed away on March 23, 2026. John Jacobson was a thoughtful individual with a brilliant scientific mind who put his faith and family above all else.

John was born on May 22, 1948, in Omaha, Nebraska, the son of Harold and Clara Jacobson. He was baptized May 30, 1948 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Omaha, Nebraska. He graduated from Omaha South High School in 1966 and was recently inducted into the Omaha South High School Hall of Fame. Upon graduation from high school, he joined the U.S. Navy and went on to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. It was during this time that he met a fellow undergraduate student named Susan Jaspersen, whom he quickly fell in love with and proposed marriage. John and Susan were married on January 12, 1974, at Grace Lutheran Church in West Point, Nebraska. They were married for 52 years, celebrating their golden anniversary on January 12, 2024.

Shortly after their wedding, John and Susan moved to Monterey, California where John attended the Naval Postgraduate School. He received his Master of Science in Physics in 1976. John served on several battleships until his assignment as a professor at the U.S. Naval Academy in 1978. He taught physics and engineering until his retirement from the Navy in the late 1980s. John maintained his connections to the U.S. Naval Academy, volunteering at the U.S. Naval Academy Museum for several years.

John found great joy in teaching and after his time in the Navy he entered the next period of his life as a public high school teacher at South River High School and the Center of Applied Technology-South. During his time at South River he founded the beloved South River Power Hawks, First Robotics Team 1111. John continued as a mentor for the team even after his retirement.

John and Susan lived on Market Street in Downtown Annapolis for over 40 years. They began attending St. Anne’s Episcopal Church and found a strong community in their faith. John attended Sunday morning Church services every week and served in many capacities in the Church community.

John is survived by his beloved wife, Susan Kay Jacobson. Additionally, he is survived by his son William Jacobson, of Columbia, Maryland, and his daughter Elizabeth Kupke (married to Jonathan Kupke), of Annapolis, Maryland, and his three grandchildren, Nathan, Otto, and Primrose Kupke. He is also survived by his sister, Margaret Fonfara, of Bellevue, Nebraska. He was predeceased by his parents, Harold and Clara Jacobson.

Visitation will be held at John M. Taylor Funeral Home, 147 Duke of Gloucester Street, Annapolis, Maryland 21401 on Friday, March 27, 2026, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

A Funeral Service will take place in St. Anne's Episcopal Church, Church Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401 on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at 10:00 am. Interment Saint Anne Cemetery, Northwest Street @ W. Washington Street, Annapolis, MD 21401