Obituary of Richard E. Jacobson

Richard (“Dick”) Earl Jacobson, age 82, of Schuylerville NY died on July 4, 2014 at the Wesley Health Care Center in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He was born on January 16, 1932 in Newton, Mass. to Earl William and Lavina Raynor Jacobson. Dick was a graduate of Middletown High School in Middletown, NY and later received his B.A. degree in English Literature, Speech and Drama (1953) and his M.A. in Guidance and Administration (1954) from the New York State College for Teachers at Albany, where he was a member of Kappa Phi Kappa, a National Education Honorary society and the Edward Eldred Potter Club. In January 1954 he married Margaret Ann Eckert of Tuckahoe, N.Y. He and his new wife moved to Mass. for the two years he served in the Army Security Agency at Ft. Devens as an instructor in the Army Security Agency School during the Korean conflict. In 1956 Dick began his career in education in Wappingers Falls N.Y. where he taught high school English for two years at the Roy C. Ketcham High School. He later served in positions there as a Guidance Counselor, Director of Guidance, Director of Pupil Personnel services, Assistant Superintendent, Associate Superintendent and Acting Superintendent. In his final year at Wappingers he was hired as Deputy Superintendent. Following his service at Wappingers he attended SUNY Albany to work on a Doctoral Program in Educational Administration. He completed all the course work by 1977, when he became Superintendent of Schools for Schuylerville Central School. Upon leaving SCS in 1987, he began his post retirement career as a Guidance Counselor at St. Mary’s School in Glens Falls N.Y. for two years. He was then hired as Director of the Head Start Program for Washington/Warren Counties from 1990 -1995 and as a Consultant in 1996. An accomplished tenor, Dick sang as a paid soloist in churches in Poughkeepsie and Albany, NY. and was a member of the Community Mixed Chorus in Poughkeepsie, as well as the Voices of the Southern Adirondacks . He was active in the Schuylerville Community Theater, where he appeared in lead and supporting roles in several of their musical productions and as producer for The Music Man. He was most proud of being selected to play the role of Daddy Warbucks in ANNIE. Dick was a proud collector of antique clocks and enjoyed attending antique car shows, having owned several vintage cars. Playing tennis was a favorite pastime, which he continued well into his seventies. He and his wife loved Cape Cod, as well as boating in their cruiser on Lake George. His dog, Simba, was a beloved companion for the past ten years. Dick is survived by his wife Margaret of Schuylerville; his son, Glenn Jacobson and his wife, Connie of Ballston Spa, NY; his daughter Gail Emich and her husband, Rob of Poughkeepsie, NY; his grandson, Kyle Emich and his wife, Li of NY city; sister, Barbara Cook of San Luis Obispo, California; niece, Linda Workman and her husband Ron of Pismo Beach, California; and nephew Brian Cook and his wife Mary of Memphis, Tennessee. A Memorial Service to honor Dick’s life will be held at 1pm Friday, July 11, 2014 at Old Saratoga Reformed Church, 48 Pearl Street, Schuylerville. Burial will follow at 2:30pm at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, 200 Duell Road, Schuylerville, NY. Those wishing to remember Dick in a special way may send a memorial contribution in his name to Old Saratoga Reformed Church or the Yaddo Garden Association. P.O. Box 395, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. Arrangements are under the direction of Flynn Bros., Inc. Funeral Home in Schuylerville, where messages for the family may be left at www.flynnbrosinc.com.