Michael W. Jacobs

Michael W Jacobs of Bucyrus, Ohio, passed away on August 4. He was 80 years old.

Michael graduated from Colonel Crawford High School in 1963 before attending Davis Business College, completing management courses at the University of Hawaii, and studying for two years at The Ohio State University.

Michael answered his country's call to service, completing basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey in July 1966 and going on to train as a communications monitor at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. As a member of the Army Security Agency, he deployed to Vietnam in July 1967 with the 509th Radio Research Unit and later served as an analyst with the 4th Platoon, 101st Radio Research Company. He went on to serve with the 602nd Army Security Agency unit in Hawaii, holding Top Secret Crypto clearance, and was selected to participate in Operation High Heels, a simulated nuclear attack exercise, during which he spent two weeks inside a mountain bunker. He gave over four years of service to his country as part of Army Intelligence during the Vietnam War.

Michael was a devoted and lifelong servant of his community. His civic involvement spanned the Bucyrus City Schools Parent Teacher Association, the Bucyrus Redman Boosters, the Bucyrus Touchdown Club, and the Bucyrus Jaycees, along with the March of Dimes. He served on the Bucyrus Little League Board of Directors and coached the girls' Little League team for nine years. Michael also served as Mayor of Bucyrus for two years, after fourteen years of service on the Bucyrus City Council. He followed in his father and grandmother’s footsteps as a lifelong member of Bucyrus Moose lodge 669.

He served on the Crawford County Park Board of Directors — where he helped develop several state parks and a local Bucyrus project — the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America for Crawford County, the Crawford County Regional Planning Board, the Crawford County Emergency Management Board of Directors, the Ohio Mayors Association, and the Ohio Heartlands Board of Directors.

He also worked for 35 years at Timken Company in Bucyrus where he eventually retired.

Among his many honors, Michael received the Bucyrus Jaycees Distinguished Service Award and was named a Lifetime Member of the Bucyrus Jaycees. He was recognized as one of the Outstanding Young Men of America in 1984, was inducted into the Crawford County Veterans Hall of Fame, and was honored with the Democrat of the Year Award from the Crawford County Democratic Party.

Above all, Michael was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He was married for over 50 years to Susan, and took great pride in helping put his two daughters and his grandson through college. Whether in his military service, his decades of civic leadership, or the quiet pride he took in wearing his commemorative Vietnam War hat, Michael lived a life defined by loyalty, service, and love for his family, his community, and his country.

Michael is survived by his wife, Susan (O’Brien) Jacobs; children, Kerry (Scott) Heath, and Megan (Patrick Brown) Jacobs; grandchildren, Jacob (Heather) Buathier; as well as several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Byron and Mary (Bauer) Jacobs, daughter Mary Ruth Jacobs and sister, Sharon Knodell.

The family will be receiving friends at Munz-Pirnstill Funeral Home Friday, August 14, from 1PM-3PM. There will be a service following the visiting hours at 3PM. Memorials may be made to the Crawford County Humane Society or Friends of Sherrod Brown. Moments of remembrance may be left online at www.munzpirnstill.com.