April 22, 1944-June 1, 2024
Patricia “Pat” Anne Thuma Jacobson, the baby of the family, always felt that she was special. When someone would tell her that she was spoiled, she would answer, “No, I am just well loved.” She was born in Glendale, Arizona, on April 22, 1944, to Frank and Frances Banks Thuma, the youngest of their four children. Her parents, sister Jeannette and brothers Frank and Jim preceded her in death.
In 1966 she and her first husband Don Wade took the missionary lessons and were baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were sealed in the Mesa Arizona Temple the following year. Over the next 16 years, Pat brought four daughters into the world and enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom. The marriage ended in 1979, and Pat and her daughters moved to Provo, where she worked as a secretary at BYU. Pat says, “Life doesn’t always take us along the path we planned to travel. However, when Plan A doesn’t work out, it doesn’t mean that Plan B can’t be just as good, maybe even better.”
As 1981 approached, she resolved to gather her daughters around her each evening for family prayer, and their prayers always included, “Please send us a righteous man who will love us and help take care of us.” You can guess what happened next. Pat went to a fireside one Sunday evening and shook hands with Lynn Jacobson. Lynn claims that lights went on and bells rang. After dating for four months, they were sealed for eternity in the Provo Temple. Their family now included Lynn’s two grown children, his daughter who was still at home, and Pat’s four daughters.
Six months after the couple married, U.S. Steel transferred Lynn to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, later to Colorado, and finally back to Utah County. After Lynn’s retirement in 1993, he became mayor of the town of Elk Ridge, Utah. Lynn enjoyed being busy, but Pat was bored. One day she expressed the desire to get a college degree, and Lynn said, “Do it!” So, at the age of 52, she became a college freshman at UVSC, graduating summa cum laude the same week she turned 58.
Pat and Lynn moved to Sun River, St. George, in 2004. Pat was active in the Heritage Writers Guild and won several awards for her short stories. She also wrote tween novels with a friend Clyde Hayes. She enjoyed activity in the LDS Church serving in many callings including a mission at the Member Locator Mission. Her most recent callings were music chairman and branch music director and Relief Society teacher.
She is survived by her husband of 43 years Lynn McDowell Jacobson; children Loretta (Glenn) Rickards, Dennis (Gaylene) Jacobson, Christine Wade, Susan Wade, Leslie (John) Richardson and Jennifer Malo; 13 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her daughter Lynda Jean Jacobson. (Lynn and Pat decided early in their marriage that there would be no “step” children.)
Funeral services will be held Monday, June 10, at 10 a.m. in the Metcalf Mortuary Chapel, 288 West St. George Blvd., St. George, Utah. A visitation will be held Monday prior to services, from 8:30-9:50 a.m., at the mortuary.
Graveside services will be held Tuesday, June 11, at 10 a.m. in the Provo City Cemetery, Provo, Utah.
Live streaming webcast is available on the Metcalf Mortuary website by clicking on the obituary, then click on broadcast at the bottom. Webcast will remain online for 90 days.
Arrangements are under the care of Metcalf Mortuary, (435) 673-4221. Click here to visit the Metcalf Mortuary website for condolences, complete obituary and funeral listings.