William Jerome Jacoby Jr.

William J. Jacoby, Jr. M.D., 94, of Williamsburg, VA, died on September 5, 2019. Dr. Jacoby was a loving husband, father and grandfather, and was an accomplished cardiologist and internist, medical educator, and proud member of the United States Navy. Dr. Jacoby joined the U.S. Navy in 1943 as a hospital corpsman. After three decades of dedicated service, he was promoted to Rear Admiral of the United States Navy Medical Corps in 1972. Born in Mt. Carmel, Pennsylvania to William Jerome Jacoby and Florence Marie White Jacoby, Bill Jacoby graduated from Emory University in 1946 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Dr. Jacoby received his MD from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, PA in 1950. He completed two residencies at Jefferson Medical College Hospital throughout the 1950’s. Upon completion of his formal education, Dr. Jacoby was recognized as a fellow of the American Heart Association and the American College of Physicians. He was a diplomat of the American Board of Internal Medicine since 1960. Dr. Jacoby was appointed chairman of the Department of Medicine at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Great Lakes, Illinois between 1964 and 1969. Following Great Lakes, Dr. Jacoby served in the same role for three additional years at the Naval Hospital in Philadelphia. In 1972, Dr. Jacoby served as the director of education and research and chairman of the Department of Medicine at the Walter Reed National Naval Medical Center and was promoted to Rear Admiral. Dr. Jacoby was then promoted to commanding officer of the Naval Regional Medical Center in Portsmouth, VA in 1975. Following his retirement from the Navy in 1978, Dr. Jacoby became the director of medical services with the VA Central Office and then served as the deputy chief medical director of the VA Central Office from 1983 to 1985. Throughout his career, Dr. Jacoby placed a priority on educating the next generation of medical professionals. While maintaining his other appointments, he served as a professor of medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. He was recognized as a member of the Advisory Council with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute through the National Institutes of Health from 1972-1975. During the next three years, Dr. Jacoby served as an affiliate of the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, VA and he maintained the title of associate clinical professor with the Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Jacoby was also a noted contributor of articles for medical professional journals. For his dedicated service and expertise in health care, Dr. Jacoby was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal, as well as a Founder’s Medal from AMSUS, The Society of Federated Health Professionals in 1974, a Decorated Legion of Merit in 1978, a Veterans Administration Exceptional Service Award in 1983, and a Laureate Award from the American College of Physicians in 1996. Dr. Jacoby retired to Kingsmill in Williamsburg, VA in 1984 where he enjoyed a very fulfilling retirement filled with family, friends, golf and community service. He was an active member with St. Bede’s Church Council, served as a board member for the Williamsburg Community Hospital, Kingsmill Community Service Association, and was an active member with Crown Colony Club. The joy of his life was watching his granddaughters grow up. Dr. Jacoby is survived by his wife of 63 years, Joeann J. Powroznik Jacoby, his daughter, Teresa Marie Jacoby, his daughter-in-law Deena Jacoby, and his four granddaughters, Kendall, Kate, Kelly and Kristen Jacoby. Dr. Jacoby’s beloved son, William J. Jacoby, III (“Skip”), preceded him in death in 2010. A memorial service will be held Monday, September 16, 2019 at St. Bede Catholic Church, 3686 Ironbound Road, Williamsburg, Virginia at 2pm. Online condolences may be shared at www.nelsenwilliamsburg.com.