Nora May Marshall Jacobs 100, of Horton Kansas, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on October 10, 2010 at the Horton Community Hospital. She was born October 26, 1909 at Black Forest Colorado near Colorado Springs. The daughter of Virgil and Effie (Green) Marshall, Nora was the fourth and last surviving child of her brothers and sisters, Minnie, Ruth, Logan, Grace, David, Dorothy, and Wesley. She is survived by two sons, Dale (Pauline) Jacobs, Horton Kansas, Floyd Jacobs, Muscotah Kansas, Three daughters Etta Mae (Larry) Matthias, Rural Horton, Kansas, June (Jerry) Talbot of Mount Union, Iowa, Margaret (Jerry) Dodge, Everest Kansas and Daughter-in-Law Margaret (late Don) Jacobs, Muscotah Kansas, twenty
grandchildren and many great and great-great grandchildren.
During her early years Nora remembered her first year of school and her teacher Miss Grace Trump. School was one and half miles from home and she walked to school with her brothers and sisters. At the age of 10, Nora and the entire family moved by train from Colorado to a farm near Mayetta Kansas in April of 1919. Eleven days later after contracting influenza on the train, her sister Ruth died at the age of 14 and the very next day her beloved mother, 35, had gone to heaven as well. Grandma J. always talked fondly of the mother and said one time, "I have kept many things in my mind to tell her. I hope to get to sometime" what a conversation they must be having in Heaven now. Nora and her brothers and sisters continued to live on the farm with their father and he worked hard to keep the family together. All the children attended the Which-A-Wah school on the Pottawatomi Reservation and later she enjoyed being a Sunday school teacher in the Church held at the same school building. Her father fell ill and died in 1929. The years that followed very hard on the young parent less family and as time passed some married and others moved to other places.
In 1930 Nora attended a dance at the home of a neighbour "Grandma" Kerns. At the dance Nora caught the eye of a tall handsome gentleman, Clarence Jacobs. Clarence must have been very smitten because he offered to take Nora home that evening, but Nora's date for the evening wasn't in favour of that idea. After a year of courting, Nora and Clarence were married on April 2, 1931 at the courthouse in Holton, Ks. The bride and groom made their first home on a rented farm near Mayetta; there they were blessed with two sons Dale and Donald. The young family moved back into the Marshall Home place where 5 more children, Martha, Floyd, Etta Mae, June, and Margaret were born. The 1930's were a very hard time in our country and the Jacobs family struggled to farm 160 acres despite little rain, poor crops, and terrible dust storms. In 1943 Clarence, Nora and Family bought and 80 acre farm south of Muscotah. There the children grew as did corn, hay, soybeans, chickens, and dairy cows. The children attended the Bittersweet Grade school, where Nora was on the School Board for 7 year, and later Effingham High School. Times were not always easy but with the hard work of the entire family the farm provided the needs of the growing family. Nora says one of her best memories is of when she and Clarence travelled to Hiawatha and made the last farm payment and came home with the deed to their land. Many good times were had and many memories were made on that farm. Who could forget Uncle Luther and his singing and laughter especially on Christmas as well as the wonderful smell of wisteria over the back porch and the many family dinners held in that big kitchen. As the time passed and Clarence's heath began to fail the hard decision was made to sell the farm and move to town. So in 1977 a large farm sale was held, boxes were packed and Nora and Clarence moved to their little green house in Horton. Upon moving to Horton they joined the United Methodist Church in Horton, Kansas. Life was different in town, Nora took up quilting and made many beautiful quilts. She and Clarence enjoyed having grandchildren visit and having their little dog, Snowball to play with. Clarence's health continued to fail and he entered the Tri-County Manor. Nora and Clarence celebrated their last wedding anniversary at the Manor, they had almost 57 years together. Clarence passed away on August 14th of 1988 with Nora and many of the children at his bedside. Grandma continued to live in her home with some help from her children and grandchildren. She grew a small garden, raised beautiful African violets and house plants, and worked on handiwork and her treasured quilts. As time passed and her eye sight continued to worsen, tough choices had to be made and Grandma entered the Tri City manor in 2003. The adjustment was sometimes hard to make but Grandma being the strong woman she was, adjusted and made the Manor her home. Life is not always an easy road and it can be hard to face what happens on the way. On January 26, 2008 Grandma's oldest daughter, Martha Butterfield, was tragically killed in a car accident. At any time the loss of a child is the most difficult thing a parent can endure and this happened again when Don, her son, passed away on March 19, 2009. They may not be here with us in body but we KNOW they are with Grandma today in heaven.
Many lessons of life have been given to all of us by the example set by our mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend, Nora May Jacobs, let us not let those go to waste. We celebrate today the life of Grandma J., 100 plus years of a life well lived. We have been blessed to have such special woman in our lives for so many years, let us remember her with a smile. We love you Grandma J, and we will miss you so!
Funeral services will be at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, October 13, 2010 at the Dishon-Maple-Chaney Mortuary in Horton, Kansas where the family will greet friends on Tuesday evening from 7:00 to 8:30 P.M. Burial will be at the Muscotah Cemetery. Memorials may be sent to the NEK Hospice or the donor's choice and may be sent in care of the mortuary. A special message may be sent to the family at www.dishon-maple-chaney.com