Eileen Reichert Jacob

Eileen Reichert Jacob, age 55, resident of St. Augustine, FL, passed on to return to her Heavenly Father on Saturday, August 27, 2016. Mrs. Jacob had a 20 year career as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the last 13 of which she served while also undergoing chemotherapy battling cancer. In 1982 she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Florida Atlantic University and began her career as a state probation officer in West Palm Beach FL. In 1995 she was accepted into the FBI, began her training at Quantico, Virginia and was initially assigned to the San Francisco office where she was awarded Special Agent of the Year in 1998. In 2001 she was transferred to FBI headquarters in Washington DC where she was the Supervisory Special Agent for the Innocence Lost Program. For the past 13 years she has been assigned to the Jacksonville office where she dedicated her career to fighting human trafficking and crimes against children. She was again awarded Special Agent of the Year in 2014, after which she reluctantly retired due to declining health. Even after her retirement, she worked part time with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office continuing her focus on child exploitation. She was a two time recipient of the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award from the United States Attorney’s Office. She was also a member of the Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Coalition and was a subject-matter expert and frequent lecturer in the area of child and adult exploitation. Mrs. Jacob was directly involved in the establishment of the nationwide National Centers for Missing and Exploited Children training, as related to child exploitation. She was a pioneer in the area child prostitution investigations. Outside her professional career, Mrs. Jacob had a passion for serving God by serving others. She was a gifted artist and used her talents to encourage and lift the spirits of all those around her, especially those who were struggling with health or spiritual concerns. Her handmade quilts provided comfort to those in need both locally and in the international mission field. Weekly, three dozen or more hand-painted notes of encouragement were anonymously mailed for support. She was an active member of the fellowship at San Jose Baptist Church in Jacksonville, teaching Sunday School, and in the Wednesday evening Awana program. She is survived by her loving husband of 20 years, Randall Jacob, and her beloved 14 year old daughter Rachel, residents of St. Augustine, FL. She also leaves behind her parents, Wallace and Edna Reichert of Lake City, FL, her brother Richard (Jill) Reichert of Lake City, FL, nieces Katie (Jacob) Harer of Mansfield, MA, Molly (Nick) Ashur, of Washington D.C., Sarah Reichert of Jacksonville and Chrissie Reichert of Terre Haute, Indiana. Without a doubt, Mrs. Jacob is also survived by the truest of friends and an extended loving family in the Jacksonville area. A memorial service for Mrs. Jacob will be held on Tuesday, August 30, 2016 at San Jose Baptist Church, 6140 San Jose Boulevard, Jacksonville, at 11 a.m. with Pastor Michael Reed officiating. Visitors may greet the family in the Worship Center beginning at 10 a.m., with fellowship following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials in Mrs. Jacob’s honor be given to San Jose Baptist Church or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 699 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. (www.missingkids.org) Arrangements are under the care and direction of Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home of Mandarin, 11801 San Jose Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32223. www.hgmandarin.com (904) 288-0025.