William Jacobsson

William Harry Stensson Jacobsson – better known as ‘Bill’ to friends and family, or ‘Coach’ to his many former students – left us abruptly on August 30, 2024, at the age of 81. Bill leaves behind his partner, Sandra, and their three children, Peter, Sarah (Ron), and Timothy (Megan); his grandson, Parker; and his two brothers, Hans (Arleen) and Jonn.

Bill was born on October 17, 1942, in Detroit, Michigan, to the late Sten and Nathalie (nee Ellwood) Jacobsson. The second son in an all-boy family, Bill grew up in Detroit alongside his brothers, Hans and Jonn. After graduating from Lutheran High School Westland in 1960, Bill went on to earn his bachelor’s degree from Concordia College in Seward, Nebraska and his master’s degree from Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York.

Bill started his teaching career at Long Island Lutheran in Brookville, New York, where he taught middle school and high school mathematics and – as he liked to tell it – infamously refereed a basketball game in which he called foul on a young player who, at the time, was known as Lewis Alcindor. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar may have been one of the first student athletes to get called out by Coach Jacobsson’s whistle, but he certainly wasn’t the last.

After celebrating his 10-year anniversary at Long Island Lutheran, Bill took a big leap of faith and accepted a teaching job overseas – at the American School in Japan (ASIJ), a private international school in Tokyo, Japan. He spent his first couple of years at ASIJ teaching math before he decided to make the move to physical education. Why, you ask? Because P.E. is fun! (Bill liked to point out that while students on their free periods would hang around the gym and occasionally ask if they could join in on a game of dodgeball, not once did he have a student ask if they could sit on an algebra quiz.) And it was fun: Bill remained at ASIJ as a P.E. teacher and a basketball, baseball, and football coach until he retired in 2008.

During his tenure in Japan, Bill met and married Sandra (nee Sadler), with whom he adopted three children: Peter, Sarah, and Timothy. Bill was a loving and enthusiastic father who taught his children everything from how to throw a football to how to do their taxes to how to change the oil on a 2015 EcoBoost Mustang (apparently “take it to the shop” was not an option). He fully embraced being a dad, and is likely driving an old gray Chevy Astro around in Heaven, asking people if they can tell “the guy in the little green convertible” (read: the tarp-covered trailer) to “stop following him so closely.”

Bill also loved being a grandfather, even if his first stint with grandparenthood came in the form of a little black French Bulldog who could neither do math nor run more than about five yards without wheezing and falling over, and a Pomeranian whose only purpose in life was to encourage this through incessant barking – he was always asking how his “granddogs” were doing. He spent hours reading books and playing with his grandson, Parker (while petting the aforementioned French Bulldog with his free hand).

Bill was an incredible father, brother, uncle, friend, teacher, coach, and all-around mentor to all of us throughout the years, and his effortlessly groan-inducing dad jokes, memorable catchphrases, and unwavering optimism will be very missed. Also, he wanted us to leave you with one last reminder to always follow your shot and keep your priorities straight!

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, September 5, 2024 at 10:00 AM at King of Glory Lutheran Church.

In lieu of flowers the family would like memorials to be made to North Myrtle Beach Parks & Recreation, where they will be used to fund an athletic team. Memorials can be made via check to the following address:

The City of North Myrtle Beach

Attn: Tammy Johnson

1030 Possum Trot Rd

North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582.