SALLY J. JACOBSON
Sally J Jacobson, age 85, died on August 3, 2026, in La Crosse, WI.
She was born on March 16, 1941, in Whitehall, WI, to Foster and Dorothy Sims of Blair, WI. She graduated from Blair High School and continued her education by utilizing savings bonds from World War II, at Coleman Technical School, La Crosse, with a focus in Business. Her very first job was at the La Crosse Public Library where her love of reading grew even more. When she wasn’t outside taking care of her gardens, you could find her reading one of her beloved books of history or biographies. She married Robert Jacobson in August of 1962. They were later divorced.
After moving to Black River Falls in 1962, she was employed in the office of American Foliage Mart in Millston, J&L Office Products, and as the Office Administrator at Evangelical Lutheran Church for over 25 years. Her problem-solving and resourceful parents instilled in her all the skills necessary for her creative, adaptive, welcoming disposition. Even after retirement, she worked tirelessly until the end caring for her home and gardens; there wasn’t a project that she would not attempt to do.
Community Service found mom volunteering as a Camp Fire Girls assistant leader, with the Falls Players helping to design costumes and sets, and as an officer for the Black River Falls High School Music Boosters.
If you lived in her neighborhood, during its early years, you may have been blessed to have your birthday wishes spelled out in big, colorful letters across her large windows; or her version of the local newspaper mailed in honor of your big day. When time allowed, she loved to bake cookies and was immensely proud of her mother’s Norwegian Sandbakkels recipe that won a blue ribbon at the Jackson County Fair.
Sally enjoyed travel with her family, both throughout the United States and an occasional international trip and was incredibly grateful for these opportunities. She had an extreme fondness for history and the arts.
Sally’s special gift was that everyone who met her felt included and welcomed. She was endlessly generous and genuinely cared about the people who came into her life; friends and family were important to her.
She is survived by daughters, Kathy (Scott); Kristine (Juan); grandchildren Amanda and Emily (Andrew); Hannah and Jacob, great-grandson Elijah; her brother, Jack Sims, brother-in-law John Foss and nieces Patty Foss-Bennie and Pam Masterman.
She was preceded in death by her parents, an infant sister, Patsy, her dear sister Janice Foss, and nephew Derrick and niece Monica Sims.
Sally’s family would like to thank the incredible staff at Emplify by Gundersen-Hospice, the 4th floor ortho unit and palliative care, and Bethany St. Joseph for their exceptional care and for making this last part of mom’s journey fun and meaningful. A special thank you to her good friends Carol, Joan, and Connie for many years of laughs, shopping trips and coffee chatter; the passion and kindness goes well beyond. She was truly cared for both physically and emotionally.
She will be forever loved and missed by her family and friends and all who had the privilege of knowing her.