Roy Irvin Jacobs passed away unexpectedly at his home on Nov. 15, 2023, in McCook due to a massive heart attack. Roy’s wish for his end of life was that he died quickly, was happy, and was not alone. God granted him his wishes. He was happy in the moments before his death and was with his girlfriend Sharla.
Roy was born on Nov. 10, 1960, in Hays, to Irvin and Verna (Gross) Jacobs. He was the middle child of nine! He attended school in Hays and graduated from Hays High School in 1979. Roy served his country honorably in the U.S. Army from 1985-1989. He was an expert marksman with the M-16 rifle and in the grenade. He spent most of his service time in Germany and had many interesting tales to tell from his time in uniform.
Roy married Eileen Schumacher and to this union his only daughter, Jenna, was born. He later married Jana (Balthazor) Guthrie.
Roy worked many different jobs in his life. He was in the oilfields, and he also had years of experience in construction. Roy spent most of his work life, though, behind the wheel of a semi, owning and operating J&S Trucking out of Phillipsburg, for 20 years. He resided in Kansas and Nebraska but was able to feed his adventurous spirit with 18 wheels.
Adaptability and resilience were two of his many strengths. Punctuality, reliability, and taking good care of things are traits Roy not only valued on the job but honored with loved ones as well. He was most recently employed as a truck driver with Frenchman Valley Coop in McCook, Neb. He had wanted a change in life and the chance to be home every night. He appreciated how stress-free it allowed him to be.
Roy’s idea of heaven was fresh air, sunshine and sometimes the joy of sitting by a firepit. He was an outdoorsman at heart. Roy enjoyed country cruising and offroad adventures. He loved being on the water, boating, fishing or floating down the river and just lounging in a stock tank.
Roy was a devoted father and stepfather. He was known for his generous spirit and was always ready to lend a helping hand. Recently, he donated his time and skills to the Habitat for Humanity house in McCook. Notable for his goofy sense of humor and a soft spot for kids, Roy had no problem becoming a big kid himself to entertain the little ones. He had a knack for most anything hands on, whether it be under the hood of any vehicle or renovations at home, he was a natural. He leaves behind a legacy of love and will be deeply missed by family, friends and coworkers.
Roy was preceded in death by his grandparents, George and Anna (Dome) Jacobs and Alois and Cecelia (Leiker) Gross; parents, Irvin and Verna (Gross) Jacobs; stepmother, Carolyn (Dinkel) Jacobs; wife, Jana Jacobs; sister, Carla (Jacobs) Messmore and brother, Vern Jacobs.
Survivors include his beloved girlfriend, Sharla Trosper; daughter, Jenna Jacobs (Dylan Cobb), Jeremy and Alicia Norton, Jasen and Tanya Guthrie, Shelby Hudson, and Haley Hudson; grandchildren: Adrianna Cobb, Kendry Cobb, Vincent Cobb, Taylor Norton, Olivia Norton, Kennedie Norton, Jakob Norton, and Mason Hudson; great-grandchildren: Paxton and Ryftin; siblings, Neal and Judy Jacobs, Doyle Jacobs, Gary Jacobs, Marvin and Debra (Jacobs) Roth, Bryan and Dora (Jacobs) Gauntt, and David and Jenny (Jacobs) Arndt, stepbrothers, Lee Dinkel and wife Danna and Jeff Dinkel and wife Marcia.
Cremation was chosen, and a celebration of life service is being planned for January 2024 with burial to follow in the Cambridge Cemetery, Cambridge, Neb.
Memorials are suggested to the family of Roy Jacobs for future designation. Online condolences may be left at herrmannfh.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel of McCook.