Donald was born Nov. 18, 1924, in Escanaba, the son of Phillip and Irene (Cotnoir) Jacobs. He was raised in Ralph, Mich., and his family returned to Escanaba when Donald was in his teens. He graduated from Escanaba High School in 1942 where he excelled at football, was a Golden Gloves boxer and was inducted into the National Honor Society. He was later named to the 25 year All Star Football Team, representing the Class of 1942.

Following graduation, he served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps, 3rd Battalion, 8th Regiment, 2nd Division, from December 1942 to January 1946. Don participated in action against the enemy at Saipan, Tinian and Okinawa and was a member of the initial occupation force at Nagasaki. He specialized as a rifle sharpshooter, bayonet knife fighter and mortar crewman. Upon his honorable discharge as a corporal, Don worked in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), helping build Wells State Park. He later worked as a lumberjack in Michigan and Washington State. Injured in a logging accident, Don returned to Escanaba where he became a Michigan Bell lineman and repairman until his retirement, and then opened his own business, Renegade Communications, as an independent communications technician. It’s said that Don visited every home in the U.P. through his work for the telephone company.

Donald was united in marriage to the former Naomi Jean Johnston on Feb. 7, 1953, at the St. Patrick Catholic Church in Escanaba. They made their home in Escanaba where they raised their three daughters. Donald was active in the Escanaba community, serving on the Escanaba School Board, helping to build Holy Name High School, and volunteering for Habitat for Humanity and many community projects.

At the age of 36, Don took up log birling. He practiced the sport in the waters off Ludington Park, a familiar sight to all who call Escanaba home. In 1964, he performed in daily log rolling exhibitions at the New York World’s Fair. Don traveled to competitive competitions throughout North America and organized sports show exhibitions across the Midwest. He trained many world champions over his 40 year career, and won the World’s Senior Log Rolling Championship 11 times. In 1983, he was one of only two Americans to participate in the last great river drive in Barrington, Nova Scotia. He retired from log rolling at the age of 75. In 2007, he received the United States Log Rolling Association’s Russ Ellison Memorial Perseverance Award, and in 2008 was inducted to the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame.

Don was renowned for his many stories and sayings, including “Old river drivers never die, they just disappear around the river’s bend.”

Survivors include: daughters, Constance Kain Jacobs of Omaha, Neb., Dyan (Rich) Lalley of Lincolnshire, Ill., Patricia Lynn Jacobs of Santa Clarita, Calif.; sisters, Betty Keldsen of Gladstone and Marilyn Shils of Oxford, Mich.; grandson, Alexander Jacob Lalley of Lincolnshire, Ill. Numerous nieces and nephews also survive.

In addition to his parents, his wife, Naomi, on Aug. 1, 1996, sister, Marvel Tholke, preceded Donald in death.

Donald’s family will receive friends on Monday, July 18, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Skradski Family Funeral Homes in Escanaba. Military rites conducted by the Delta County Veterans Council will follow at 6 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial for Donald P. Jacobs will be held on Tuesday, July 19, at 11 a.m. at the St. Joseph/St. Patrick Catholic Church in Escanaba with Rev. Fr. Eric Olson officiating. He will be laid to rest next to his wife Naomi at the Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Escanaba. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of Don may be directed to the American Heart Association. Envelopes will be available at the Skradski Family Funeral Homes or the St. Joseph/St. Patrick Catholic Church. Please visit www.skradskifuneralhomes.com where you can express your sympathy to the Jacobs family.