Stockton, CA

Feb. 12, 1942 - September 25, 2007

Barry Jacobs

We Knew Him As The Bear

By His Daughter, Cari Jacobs

How do you capture the spirit of a man when his heart, his laughter, his love is too vast too measure. How can you begin to put down on paper the immense generosity and loyalty one man has given to so many? Many of us in town knew him. We knew Barry Jacobs as a Stocktonian, born and raised in our then small town along with his Lebanese cousins. Schooled a Catholic at St Gertude's, St. Mary's High and then graduating from Santa Clara University, Barry was a dedicated local citizen. When asked if he could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? Stockton, he would say matter-of-factly with a small wink in his expressive eyes and a duh! in his tone. That's why I live here. When prodded on perhaps an African Safari or a trip to Europe, he would shrug his shoulders and say, I have everything I need right heremy friends, my family...what more could I want?

Some knew him as a successful stock broker, working for years in Stockton at Dean Witter and Merrill Lynch where he won the business of many who trusted him to grow their money. Others knew him as an avid golfer and permanent fixture at the Stockton Golf and Country Club where he could often be seen in the McKenzie grill bent over a game of gin with his closest friends, as they would nudge him to keep him awake. We knew Barry as a loving, proud father of his two kids, Eric and Cari, and his three grandchildren, Ava, Kylie and Alexa---and as a devoted son to his mother, Mary. He had regular family get-togethers so he could talk and joke with his son. Eric, and cuddle with his daughter, Cari. He would tempt and chide with his young granddaughters with silver dollars or big wet sloppy kisses, while jokingly rolling his eyes as his mother, Mary, would ask those at the table to take on third or fourth helpings of her famous cooking. Others hunted with him for duck, pigs or doves. Or placed a bet along side him at the track. Or went on multi-day camping trips to fish and sit around the campfire, one of his favorite things to do.

He loved the swimming pool and during Stockton summers would leave the Club early to head over to his condo community's pool to lounge in the water and spend time catching up with neighbors.

And those lucky to know his most intimate sides knew him as a lover of music---Boticelli and Povorati--- that would very often bring tears to his eyes, though he had heard the song 100 times over.