Dr. Theodore Jacobs

Dr. Theodore Jacobs, consummate physician, philanthropist and devoted husband, father, and grandfather passed away Sunday, May 15, 2011, with family at his side. Dr. Jacobs, age 81, was born in North Bergen, N.J., Feb. 12, 1930, to parents, David Jacobs and Pearl Schnur. As a youth, he excelled at all things. He was active in sports, which became a passion throughout his life. His academic achievements were many and ranged from being the Spelling Bee Champion for the state of New Jersey and later a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Rutgers University in 1950. He then attended medical school at New York Medical College where he met an equally remarkable individual, Parvin Modaber, who started as his dissecting partner in Anatomy Lab but quickly became his partner throughout life. Dr. Jacobs graduated medical school and was nominated to the Contin Medical Society. He then completed an internship at Bellevue Hospital in New York City and then joined wife, Parvin, at University of California, San Francisco where they completed their residency in medicine. Dr. Jacobs was a captain in the U.S. Air Force and traveled to Spain, accompanied by his wife and two small children, where he served as Chief of Medicine at the USAF Hospital in Torrejon Air Base. It is during this four year period in Madrid working with the Strategic Air Command that Theodore developed a lifelong passion for bullfighting, and had the scars to prove it. Upon returning to the U.S. in 1963, the Jacobs family stopped in Nevada on the way to set up practice in San Francisco. Planning only a brief visit with friends in Las Vegas, Theodore and Parvin quickly saw a need for doctors in that community, and thankfully established their practice here instead. Professionally, Dr. Jacobs was admired by his patients and his colleagues alike. He was a Clinical Professor of Medicine for the University of Nevada School of Medicine and also an attending physician for the residency program at the University Medical Center, Las Vegas. He was subsequently appointed, and later reappointed, by four Governors to the State Board of Medical Examiners, a position he held from 1975 to 1995 and serving as its President for 15 of those years. He also served as both the Chief of the Department of Medicine and the Chief of Staff at Sunrise Hospital. He was awarded "Physician of the Year" in 1992 by the Nevada State Medical Association. His dedication and expertise in medicine inspired many young physicians including son, Loring Jacobs, and daughter, Leslie Jacobs, who both completed their residencies in Internal Medicine and joined their parents' practice in 1985 and 1988, respectively. Dr. Jacobs' devotion to community service extended well beyond medicine. He was a Founder and current Board of Director of the Nevada Dance Theater. He was also on the Board for the Las Vegas Symphonic and Chamber Music Society. He was ardent supporter of UNLV and rarely missed a home basketball game. Theodore Jacobs' efforts were recognized by many. He received the Monarch Award by the Nathan Adelson Hospice and Foundation in 1995 and the Community Service Award by the Nevada State Medical Society. Dr. Jacobs was honored for his service by Prince Henri Constantine Paleologo and was knighted in 1989, officially becoming a Knight of Malta. Theodore Jacobs is survived by his beloved wife, Dr. Parvin Modaber-Jacobs; son, Dr. Loring Jacobs; daughter, Dr. Leslie Jacobs-Shoemaker, and her husband, Dr. William Shoemaker; grandchildren, Gabriella and Matthew Shoemaker; and sisters, Cynthia Roberts and Beverly Susskind. Services will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, May 17, at at Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Ave. Dr. Jacobs was a lover of literature, especially Shakespeare. So it is appropriate to quote from Hamlet: "Now cracks a noble heart. Good-night, sweet prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest." Theodore Jacobs was a loving, compassionate, intelligent, engaging and witty person to all who knew him. Certainly, he was, and will always be, "a prince among men" and "a legend that walked as a man."

Arrangements under the direction of Palm Eastern Mortuary, Las Vegas, NV.