Raymond Joseph Jacobs

Oceanside, California. He was born May 20, 1942 in Lowell, Mass. to Beverly Irene and Joseph

Raymond Jacobs.

He was a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, friend, high school teacher and

sports coach, umpire, advisor, comedian, and storyteller. He is survived by his wife Catherine, five

brothers Mark Jacobs, Tom Phifer, Raymond Jacobs, James Jacobs, Kenny Jacobs; two sisters Donna

Crowley, Sandra Jacobs; daughter Bobbie Rae Bolton; sons Wayne Kimball-Jacobs, Dustin Rowe and

James Rowe; seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren, and an extended family of nieces,

nephews, cousins and beyond, who opened their hearts to this lovely man. He was predeceased by his

daughter Carla Jo White, his sisters Pauline Black-Hand and Barbara Lemire, and his youngest brother

Jimmy Phifer.

He enlisted in the US Army at 17 years of age after traveling from California to New England during

summer vacation and was not able to get home. Mom gave her permission via Western Union and Ray

was on his way to boot camp the next morning. He proudly served 1959-1962 and was stationed in

Bremerhaven, Germany. When he returned home he went to college on the GI Bill. His first elective

course was American History and his love of history was kindled. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in

education and taught American History, World History, US Government and Economics, and later

received his Masters in Special Education.

Ray’s teaching career began in Elsinore, California where he also began coaching. But it was his gypsy

blood that took him cross country to Merrimack High School in Massachusetts where his baseball team

won the State Championship that first year. He never liked the cold or “that white stuff” (snow) so he

moved back to California and Ontario HS in Ontario where he made many lifelong friends. He always

looked back at Ontario as being his happiest, most fulfilling and most memorable years of his teaching

career. In 1992 his gypsy blood had him back on the road headed to the Florida Keys where after three

weeks he survived Hurricane Andrew and subsequently moved to Arizona where he taught at

Independence HS in the Glendale Union High School District. After some time he met his wife

Catherine with whom he began a wonderful adventure of nearly 20 years.

During his teaching career he coached football, baseball, girls softball and tennis, and he has enjoyed

many success stories that have resulted from his 30 years of teaching and coaching. He enjoyed 15

years as an umpire for high school girls fast-pitch softball when he retired from teaching.

He had thespian talents and enjoyed participating in college drama presentations and later in

community theater. While at Independence High School, he played the father in the drama club’s

presentation A Christmas Story…”you’ll shoot your eye out!”

Ray was a classic car enthusiast and enjoyed cruising in his 1923 Ford T-Bucket. He was a member of

the National T-Bucket Alliance for many years, Central Arizona T’s T-Bucket Club in Phoenix, So-Cal T’s

in San Diego, O’Side Cruisers in Oceanside and The Little Guys Street Rods Car Club in North County

San Diego, and made many life-long friends.

Raymond will be laid to rest at Miramar National Cemetery Friday, October 4, 2019. The O’Side

Cruisers and The Little Guys Street Rods Car Clubs will drive in the memorial procession to the

cemetery. A Celebration of His Life will be held following the memorial service.

Please consider contributing to the Ray Jacobs Memorial Scholarship Fund. Send your check payable to “OHS” with Ray’s name in the memo to: Ontario High School, c/o Natalie McMinn, 901 W. Francis, Ontario, CA 91762