R. Dean "Jake" Jacobi

R. Dean “Jake” Jacobi – Polk City, Iowa

Dean was born at home without the convenience of electricity or running water on their farm, which was located in the northwest corner of Iowa County, Iowa to Robert & Fannie Mary (Duda) Jacobi on April 29, 1935, his older sister Joyce was there to greet him. During the next six years his sister Joanne was born and he completed kindergarten at a one room school house about a half mile from their home. His family then left farming and after a short stop in Irving, Iowa and moved to Belle Plaine where they spent the next bumpy six years. His parent’s divorced and right after Dean finished grade school, his mom married C.G. “Peck” Hutchinson and they moved to Boone, Iowa to live with Peck’s parents and two of his three daughters Delores and Joyce.

Jake graduated from high school in 1953 and a few months later married his high school sweetheart, Denise S. Overbeck. Jake and Deni then moved to Des Moines to live, work and start their family. Jake worked in the printing related Industries his entire career. He retired from Townsend Industries after a total of 25 years working with his good friend and boss Bob Townsend.

Jake had many other interests too such as hunting, fishing, target shooting, boating, camping, photography and he and Deni were life long antique collectors each with several specialties over the years. They were also dealers and had booths at antique malls in Marshalltown and Des Moines. However, his number one priority was the time spent with his family members. Deni and he hosted the family get-togethers for Mother’s Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving and etc. for around thirty years.

April Radden, Keith Radden, Sarah Carlson and Jacob Jacobi, Jake’s four grandchildren, were the center of family attention for many years until his great-grandchildren started to appear. It was a very exciting time period as Breanna, Kane, Kamden, Dean, Evangeline, John, Cora and Rowen made their appearances.

Of course, Jake & Deni had the help of their three children, Michael (now deceased), Ann Radden and David with his wife Shelly, in managing all this excitement.

He lived alone on their small acreage after his beloved wife Deni died of cancer in 2001. There he continued enjoying the wildlife, nature and quiet solitude between.

Visitation will be held from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., Sunday, December 8, 2024 held at Hamilton’s near Highland Memory Gardens, 121 NW 60th Ave., Des Moines.

Memorials may be directed to Hope Ministries or the Salvation Army.

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