Ila May (Graham) Jacox, a 70 year resident of Sacramento, passed away peacefully on December 7, 2011 at Mercy San Juan Hospital. She is survived by loving children Janis of Citrus Heights and Stan of St. Petersburg Russia, granddaughter Jennifer Ralston of southern California, 4 great grandchildren, dear nieces Carol Riccomini of Mount Shasta, and Lynn Smith of Anchorage Alaska, and many extended family members. Her devoted husband of 63 years, Stanley F. Jacox Jr. preceded her in death in 2006.Ila was born May 17, 1924 in Dunsmuir CA , the youngest, and last surviving, of eight children of Ervin William Graham, a US Forest Service employee, and Margaret Sophia Hedman, a homemaker. Ila moved to Sacramento at age 18 and went to work at the Sacramento Bee. First as a copy girl and later promoted to feature reporter. In 1943 she left the Bee to marry Stanley who was stationed at Ft Sill Oklahoma. The Bee staff held a wedding shower, hosted by publisher Eleanor McClatchy, who gave her a very generous gift and supportive send off. After Stanley’s unit shipped out to the European Theatre, Ila returned to Sacramento. At the time the Bee had no openings and she was hired by the Sacramento Union as a general duty reporter. At both the Bee and Union, Ila wrote many featured, by-lined articles about the war on the home front and about local servicemen. After the war she settled in as a homemaker near Town and Country Village in one of the first subdivisions in the Arden Arcade area. She later went to work for the California Employment Development Department from which she retired in 1986. Ila was very proud of her pioneer family and their Scottish heritage. She did extensive genealogical research, culminating in a huge family reunion in 1981 at the Colusa County Fairgrounds. Ila and Stanley settled in Fair Oaks in 1965 and enjoyed many trips to England and Scotland, and travel to Scottish games throughout the United States. Private services will be held at Mount Vernon Memorial Park in Fair Oaks.
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