Joseph William Jacobs, Jr., 95, of Gillespie, passed away Thursday, October 2, 2025, at his residence in Rochester, IL.
A graveside service was held Wednesday, Oct. 8, at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, located on Cedar and Second St. in Gillespie. Davis-Anderson Funeral Homes, Carlinville, is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Jacobs was born on Sept. 2, 1930, the son of Joseph William Jr. and Anna Beatrice (Shimkus) Jacobs. He began his life at Gillespie Lake until he moved to their farm in Gillespie. He went to school at Grime School until the eighth grade. Then he went on to work on the farm alongside his father until his father’s death in 1967.
Mr. Jacobs always loved animals, especially hunting dogs and beagles. At the age of 20, he was drafted into the US Army for two years during the Korean War. During the war, he went to France and served as a dental assistant. After returning home from the Army, he went back to farming.
Mr. Jacobs married Eunice Perrine in 1954. They had three children. During that time, he also started to raise dogs. He had over 12 different breeds that he raised. He also joined the Cahokia Beagle Club. Once a month he would go to the field trials with his dogs. He enjoyed judging dogs to see how they tracked rabbits.
Mr. Jacobs retired and moved to Litchfield when the longwall mining at Monterey Coal Company came through. Soon after, he turned over the farming operation to his son, Joe. He then began to buy and rent houses around the area. At one time he had 17 houses that he managed. Mr. Jacobs cared for his own mother in Litchfield until her death in 2002. He continued to live in Litchfield until May of 2022, when he moved to Rochester with his daughter and her husband.
Mr. Jacobs is survived by his children, daughter Diane Jacobs of Litchfield, son Joe Jacobs III of Gillespie and daughter Lynn (Dick) Buecker of Rochester; granddaughter Casey (Andy) Yuskanich of Springfield; grandson Zach Buecker of Springfield; and two great-grandchildren, Jacob and Daxton Yuskanich.
Mr. Jacobs was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Loretta L. Schosser.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society. Please visit www.davisandersonfuneralhome.com to leave condolences or light a candle in his memory.
