Jacob John Desch

September 27, 1943 - September 2, 2022

Following a short but aggressive illness, Jacob John Desch passed peacefully in his sleep just shy of his 79th birthday.

Born September 27, 1943 in Newark, New Jersey, Jake was the seventh child born to Arthur D. Desch Sr. and his wife, Edith Hawkey Desch. Jake’s parents went on to have four more children, leaving Jake happy to claim that he was “number 7 of 11”. He grew up in a busy household in Garwood, New Jersey and following graduation from Garwood High School, he enlisted in the U. S. Air Force, where he served honorably for 7 years, including a heroic stint in Southeast Asia. He was also stationed in Alaska with the Strategic Air Command during the most powerful earthquake recorded in U.S. history. Jake and his colleagues worked tirelessly after the 9.2 magnitude earthquake to provide aid to those in need throughout Alaska as part of Operation Helping Hand.

Following his stint with the Air Force, Jake moved to California and enrolled at Foothill Community College then went on to San Francisco State College utilizing benefits he received through the G I Bill. It was here, in Santa Clara, that he met the love of his life and wife of 51 years, Linda Cassineri. The young couple began their romance, married in the Santa Cruz mountains in 1971, and Jake continued his studies. During this period of his life, Jake enjoyed driving his custom built MG that he bought years earlier in Europe. He loved the open road, particularly if Linda was at his side.

Jacob Desch, a gentle giant of a man, was an early adopter of technology and embarked on a successful career as a computer programmer. Jake and Linda were living in Palo Alto when the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake occurred. In fact, Linda remembers Jake being on the phone during the disaster as he accepted a career position with Sacramento County. This meant a move out of their home in Palo Alto. The couple settled in Auburn, a charming town in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, where they spent the next 30 plus years. Jake received numerous awards for his dedicated work for the county and continued to always have a computer within arms reach, even in retirement.

A big fan of the San Francisco sports teams, particularly the Giants and the 49ers, Jake and Linda rarely missed a televised game. A couple of times he even went to Arizona for spring training. He wasn’t just an armchair athlete either. Jake played racquetball and loved riding his mountain bike whenever he had the chance. He also enjoyed reading history, but politics was not a topic of conversation in his politically divided household.

With a heart of gold, Jake loved his large extended family. Generous to a fault, Jake shared his love, his wealth, his home, his big hugs, and his warm infectious smile without any expectation of reciprocation. Jake and Linda opened their home to many people, and dogs, over the years, with generosity beyond compare.

Survived by his adoring wife, Linda Cassineri Desch (known by many friends as Cass), his honorary son, Daniel Ragusano, his honorary granddaughter, Gianna Battaglia, his sisters (Peg Desch Chadwick, Jean Desch Mau, and Marion Desch Lowther), his niece, Kathleen Richards, many more nieces and nephews, as well as his beloved dogs, Nora, Dooley, and Luna. Jacob John Desch, a gentle giant with a big heart will be greatly missed.