Merle Dean Jacobson

It is with deep sorrow and great love that we announce the passing of our father, Merle Dean Jacobson of Columbia Heights, MN. He passed away on May 26, 2026 at the age of 79 years. He will be missed by so many family and friends who adored and revered him.

Merle will be lovingly remembered by his children: daughter Kimberly (Joseph) Westcott; son, Kerry (Jenny) Jacobson; daughter, Kay (Paul) Drinkwitz, daughter Lorri (Jerry) Dearly, daughter Maria (Richard) Thompson, and daughter Liz Fife. He will also be missed dearly by his sister Laura (Vince) Mangan. Known lovingly as “Grandpa Geeko”, he will be forever in the hearts of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Liz (Terry) Kraft, Brandon (Maggie) Rasmussen, Marissa Rasmussen, Nick Westcott, Jordan (Rachel) Rhines, Jana Jacobson, Brennan (Abby) Sorensen, Tommie Jacobson, Veronica Jacobson, Allison Rosevist, Anthony (Rebecca) Holliday, Jelora Clark, Trevor (Elise) Thompson, Kaitlyn Thompson, David Fife, Jeremy Dearly, JR Dearly, Star Dearly, Aubree Kraft, Fritz Kraft, Oakland Kraft, Kailey Rasmussen, Halo Degnan, Audrey Rhines, JJ Rhines, Micah Rhines, Anthony Holliday, Dominic Holliday, Aubri Holliday, Lincoln Holliday, London Holliday, Bentley Holliday, Nathaniel Clark, Daniel Clark, Wendel Clark, Denziel Clark, Mni Dearly, Abigail Thompson, Evangeline Thompson, Johanna Thompson, and Malani Clark. Merle will also be missed by his many adoring nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews: Melissa (Todd) Hanson, Sandi (Scott Schmidt) Mangan, Matt (Karen) Mangan, Jessica (Kate Moore) Jacobson, Brenda Teslow, Holly (Chad) Gross, Sherri Teslow, Greg Teslow, Justin Quanrude, Mikayla Hanson, Kylie Hanson, Braden Hansen, Lauren Schmidt, Porter Schmidt, Ella Mangan, Elise Gross, Ava Gross, Kyle Teslow, Stephanie Teslow, Morgan Teslow, and many other loved ones.

His warm presence and playful banter will also be missed by his many friends from Alcoholics Anonymous and the AA Clubs and groups he attended. Shortly before passing, he had reached 58 years of sobriety (21,184.5 days), which is something that he was very proud of and took very seriously and to heart. He also loved to play cards and will be missed by his many friends who knew him from poker and Pinochle and his Wednesday night card games.

Merle will be welcomed into heaven by those who passed before him: his life partner and rock of almost 40 years Kay Reese, his infant daughters Rhonda Marie Jacobson and Lori Kay Jacobson, his father Maynard Dolliver Jacobson, his mother Edith Theone (Johnson) Jacobson, his brother Bruce Jacobson, his sister in law Dawn Jacobson, his nephew Bradley Teslow, and his great-grandson Gabriel Clark.

Merle was born during a blizzard on February 25, 1947 in Buffalo Center, Iowa. Places he called home during childhood included Rake, Iowa and Northwood, Iowa, and he graduated from Northwood- Kensett High School in 1965. He continued his education after high school receiving a two year Associates Degree from Dunwoody College. He worked for many years at FMC as a machinist and also as a chemical dependency counselor there. He had other jobs over the years, including being a counselor at a group home for troubled teens and then later in life, right before retirement, being a contractor for Edina Courier.

Merle was married to Lois (Teslow) Peterson from November 1, 1969 to February 12, 1980. Around 1986, Merle began his relationship with Kay Reese and they remained life partners until her passing on August 3, 2019. As one of their daughters so beautifully articulated: Kay was his rock and he was her wings. They drove each other nuts in the best ways and they balanced each other out… their love worked and it was very deep and real.

Merle was a very spiritual man and he most recently attended St. Anthony United Methodist Church online. He liked to keep things simple and focus on being in the present moment. He often reminded people to not sweat the small stuff… and that it was all small stuff. He loved reading from his Big Book (AA) as well as his daily devotionals. He also came to love binge watching shows and playing games on his laptop. He was quick witted until the very end and loved to playfully tease those he loved. His smile, his laugh, and the way he sometimes slapped his knee when he found something especially amusing is something he will definitely be remembered for. He will also be remembered by the many lives he impacted through his work in AA over the years as a mentor and a sponsor to countless others. He inspired and helped so many people over the years and he was looked up to by a great number of people from many different walks of life. He was soft, highly intelligent, extremely organized, open-minded, inclusive, accepting, loving, and he brought wisdom, joy, and fun into nearly every room he entered.

The family finds great comfort knowing that Merle is free of pain and reunited with Kay and other loved ones in heaven and now lives with God and Jesus. Let his love and legacy continue to guide us all to slow down, be grateful, forgive often, laugh more, and accept others for exactly who they are.

Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at Sunset Kapala Glodek Funeral Home, Minneapolis at 11:00 am with visitation beginning at 10:00 am. Burial will be held immediately following the service at 12:00 pm at Sunset Cemetery, Minneapolis.