OBITUARY

Bobby Frank ("Radar") Jacobs, 90, of Monroe, Georgia, passed away peacefully on Friday, September 6, 2024.

 

A son of the original Buckhead in Morgan County, Georgia, "Bob" was born on December 4, 1933 and spent his early years in Athens. He obtained his first job at 12 years old: delivering the Atlanta Journal on a paper route, a job he frequently recounted with great fondness. His family later moved to Winterville, Georgia, and he graduated from Winterville High School in 1950. He attended the University of Georgia by hitchhiking to campus from Winterville daily. Over three consecutive days in August 1955, Bob graduated from the University of Georgia, received his commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army, and married his high school sweetheart, Helen Marie Thornton.

 

Bob then began his career in the field he truly loved - education. His first job included teaching math, chemistry, and physics at Rabun County High School in Clayton, followed by a stop in Commerce, before moving to Grass Range, Montana in 1962 as a teacher and an athletics coach in basketball, football, and track and field. He returned to Georgia in 1966 to coach and teach math and physics at Franklin County High School in Carnesville. During those years, he completed post-graduate studies in math and physics at the University of Georgia and at universities in Massachusetts, Missouri, and Wisconsin, earning advanced degrees in education and physics.

 

It was June 1968 when Bob, Helen, and their family moved to Monroe, where Bob enjoyed some of his most rewarding years in education. From 1968 to 1974, Bob taught math and physics at Monroe Area High School, teaching - and sometimes disciplining - many future leaders of the Walton County community and beyond. A testament to his care for his students came in his multiple nominations as a STAR Teacher. Bob also honed his investigative skills, earning him the nickname that, to the disappointment and surprise of some, he joyfully and proudly owned for the rest of his career: "Radar."

 

In 1974, Bob moved to Carver Junior High School in Monroe, where he ultimately became principal and remained until his retirement in 1992. During his tenure, Bob assembled a caring, dedicated, and diverse faculty that served together closely for many years. Even in his final days, Bob remarked that his Carver faculty had "done a lot of good" and was "the best faculty I'd ever been associated with."

 

In retirement, Bob continued teaching off-campus math classes for Truett-McConnell College and substituted as a math teacher at George Walton Academy. He was a devoted fan of the University of Georgia Bulldogs and enjoyed cruises, visiting family in Arizona and Washington, and traveling to Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland - and Cherokee, North Carolina and Tunica, Mississippi. He loved road trips to the north Georgia mountains, dining out, fishing, gardening, enjoying the outdoors, good ol' bluegrass and country music, classical music, and the original great cowboys like Gene Autry.

 

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Annie Louise (Greer) and Joe Frank Jacobs of Winterville; his wife of 67 years, Helen, of Monroe; and his sister, Betty Jo (Jacobs) Cape, of Winterville. He is survived by his brother, John Thomas Jacobs of Blue Ridge; his sister Daisy Mae (Jacobs) McCannon of Comer; his sons Ron (Diane) of Monroe, Michael of Monroe, and Chad (Julie) of Mableton; his grandchildren Dawn (Wes) Brown of Madison, Kevan (Katie) Tiller of Winder, and Clara and Eleanor ("Ellie") Jacobs of Mableton; and numerous great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and friends. Bob's family wishes to thank Abbey Hospice of Social Circle for their gracious and loving care in Bob's final days.

 

Memorial services will be held on Thursday September 12th at 1:00 PM at the Chapel of Meadows Funeral Home in Monroe. There will be a visitation on Wednesday September 11th from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Meadows Funeral Home.

 

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Bob's memory to FISH Ministries of Monroe, or to a local educational charity or scholarship fund of your choice.