Donald C. Jacobs ’53

Don, who shined with weights in track at Mercersburg and continued his athleticism at Princeton under Coach Matty Geis before being called into the Army at the end of his junior year, died Dec. 27, 2013, in Knoxville, Tenn. He was 83.

As a freshman and sophomore he roomed with frosh football captain Chuck Brown and Bill Whipple, and he signed in at Cannon Club. Junior year he began majoring in mechanical engineering and lived near Sam Gelfman (who became the 150-pound football captain), “Tiny” Rogers, and Charlie Ringwalt. Charlie recollects Don’s “side-splitting” wit and a rollicking trip to New York City to date girls from the Juilliard School of Music.

Don received his bachelor’s degree after military service. In 1956, he married Jacqueline Houlton and began a 30-year career with the Aluminum Co. of America. Later he established a family manufacturing business, Houlton Enterprises. After Jacqueline’s death, he married Barbara Anne Smith in 1987.

Don is survived by his wife; children Julia Klein, Kimberly Bundy, Kevin Smith, Barbara Tyler, Susan Proaps, Clare Dannenberg, and Steven C.; 15 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Barbara Anne spoke highly of Don’s “inventive mind, loving spirit, generous nature, and undeniable sense of humor,” to which emphatically we concur.