Charles D. Jacobs

Charles “Jake” Jacobs was born March 11, 1947, in Hays, Kansas, to Carl and Emilie Jacobs, and passed away peacefully at home on August 22, 2026.

Charles is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Janet; his children, Teresa Reavis (Ron), Kurtis (Vanessa), and Desire’ Burdg; his grandchildren, Savanah Jacobs (Jeff Browning), Leah Jo Condella (Emily), Jacob Reavis, Sam Jacobs, Alexzandria Burdg, and Grace Jacobs; and his great-grandchildren, Myra Johnson, Oliver Condella, and Arson Browning. He was preceded in death by his parents, his older sister Amelia Kay Jacobs, and his younger brother Eugene “Gene” Jacobs.

Charles honorably served in the US Air Force and Kansas Air National Guard for 40 years, rising from Airman to Lieutenant Colonel. He was deployed to Korea following the seizure of the USS Pueblo, followed by innumerable training missions and deployments across the globe. In the 1980s, he was instrumental in moving the 134th Control Squadron to McConnell AFB, where he later served as unit commander. In his later military career, he served as Comptroller for the KANG units at McConnell before retiring in 2006. He then worked as the Facilities Supervisor for the Finney State Office Building for eleven years before re-retiring in 2018.

Charles was an avid outdoorsman in his youth and early adulthood, making several trips to Canada for fishing on big lakes and trips to hunt moose and elk in Colorado. He later loved camping and water skiing at local lakes with friends and family. Charles was deeply active in both Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts through his children and grandchildren. He took great pleasure in local weekend campouts as well as high-adventure trips to Philmont Scout Ranch and the Boundary Waters. He loved constructing pinewood derby cars and shared in the joy of watching them race. He also enjoyed custom cars and hot rods and was frequently found in the garage tinkering on anything with an engine. He was especially proud of the truck he built with help from friends and family and enjoyed the Hot Rod Power Tour and Good Guys car shows. Dedicated to his community, Charles also supported the WSU Alumni Foundation, American Red Cross, United Way, Make-A-Wish, Special Olympics, and prepared tax returns for veterans and indigent clients, and served on the Quantum Credit Union Board. Additionally, he and Janet actively participated in Beta Sigma Phi sorority events for over 55 years.

Visitation will be held in the Wheat Estate Room at Lakeview Funeral Home, 12100 E. 13th Street, Wichita, KS 67206, on Saturday, August 29, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. A Memorial service will take place at the Kansas Aviation Museum (3350 George Washington Boulevard, Wichita, KS) on Thursday, September 3, 2026, at 10:00 AM, followed by Inurnment at the Kansas Veterans Cemetery (1208 N. College, Winfield, KS) at 2:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Scouting America, Quivira Council, 3247 N. Oliver, Wichita, KS 67220-2106.