Lt Col Norman Paul Jacobs
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Lt Col Norman Paul Jacobs

  • February 16, 1929 - February 1, 2012
  • Columbia, South Carolina
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“I am so sorry to hear of your husband’s passing. Please accept my condolences. May your strength prevail to help you through this difficult time....Read More » ”
1 of 18 | Posted by: Charles Halfpenny - Blue Bell, PA

“I remember very well the evening we met Bene & Norman at a supper club meal sponsored by our church. Todd and I spent the better part of the meal...Read More » ”
2 of 18 | Posted by: Penry Gustafson - Columbia, SC

“Dear Bene, I was so sad to read about Norm. Please know I will be thinking about you and all your family. Take care and God bless. Love, ...Read More » ”
3 of 18 | Posted by: Nancy Holt - Columbia, SC

“Bene, Our thoughts & prayers are with & this very difficult time. Please let us know if we can do anything for you. Ernie & Brenda ”
4 of 18 | Posted by: Ernie Nauful - Columbia, SC

“My thoughts and prayers are with you and your extended family. I didn't get the opportunity to know Norman as well as I would have liked, but...Read More » ”
5 of 18 | Posted by: Jan Turner - Little River, SC

“Rational, humerus, patient, kind, highly intelligent, true to his word, caring, and stubborn, definitely stubborn! ”
6 of 18 | Posted by: Rachel Kelly Jacobs-Cockes - SC

“Bene, my heart goes out to you, your family and friends on your tremendous loss. Norm was respected and loved by all who knew him. I was honored to...Read More » ”
7 of 18 | Posted by: Susan Vaughan McPherson - SC

“"Friend" is not a term I use lightly, but Norm was my friend. I enjoyed working with him on a professional level and enjoyed his companionship and...Read More » ”
8 of 18 | Posted by: Nelson Gunter - Irmo, SC - Friend

“Bene, you are in our thoughts and prayers. I haven't seen you in years. Please take care. Jacque and Max Miostafa ”
9 of 18 | Posted by: Jacque Mostafa - lexington, SC

“I am so incredibly sorry for your loss. May the lord wrap you in the palm of his hand during this difficult time. I am thinking of you all and...Read More » ”
10 of 18 | Posted by: Jeanne Townes - Aiken, SC

“Benedictine College, Atchison, Kan., extends condolences to the loved ones of Lt Col. Norman Paul Jacobs. May God embrace you in His comforting,...Read More » ”
11 of 18 | Posted by: Benedictine College, Kathy Garrison - KS

“The Duke family; George Tad David Jane and Duane wish to express our respect and sadness at Norman's passing. A good life well lived, from all of us...Read More » ”
12 of 18 | Posted by: George Duke - Chapin, SC

“There aren't enough words to express the loss of one who served his country and community so well. He will be missed. ”
13 of 18 | Posted by: Stan Morgan - Columbia, SC

“Bene, Ryan, and all the family, We are saddened by your loss and send you our deepest sympathy. With love and thoughts, Trudy, George, and Darby ”
14 of 18 | Posted by: Trudy Liitle - Columbia, SC

“Amanda, Our condolences to you and your family. -Dick and Jamie Harpootlian ”
15 of 18 | Posted by: Dick and Jamie Harpootlian - SC

“Bene, It has been awhile and I am sorry to hear about Norman. My throughts and prayers are with you. Troy ”
16 of 18 | Posted by: Troy L. Coward - Irmo, SC

“My deepest and sincerest sympathy to Norm's family and friends. I came to know and enjoy Norm while he was a member of our Interstate Hunt Club. ...Read More » ”
17 of 18 | Posted by: Michael Monroe - Chapin, SC

“The staff of Dunbar Funeral Home extends deepest sympathy to the Jacobs family. ”
18 of 18 | Posted by: Joey Tanner - Columbia, SC


COLUMBIA - Funeral services for Lt Col Norman P. Jacobs, US Army, Retired, 82, of Columbia will be held on Saturday, February 4 at 11 a.m., at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 3909 Forest Drive, Columbia. Visitation will be held Friday, February 3, from 5-7 p.m at Dunbar Funeral Home, 3926 Devine Street. Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery at a date and time to be determined.
Colonel Jacobs died on February 1, 2012. Son of the late Simon Leo Jacobs and Ida Irene Jacobs, he was born in Hays, Kansas, on February 16, 1929. He graduated from St. Benedict's College in Atchison, Kansas with a business degree and later earned his Master's degree in Business from the University of South Carolina. He enlisted in the Army in October of 1947. While training at Ft. Benning, GA in 1948, he was qualified as a Parachutist and Gliderman. In 1949, he became a member of the Caterpillar Club because of an emergency parachute jump from a crashing C-82 aircraft at Fort Bragg. He completed Infantry Officer Candidate School and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1952. In Korea, he fought as an infantry platoon leader with the 25th Infantry Division. His airborne assignments included the 82nd Airborne Division, the Army Airborne Center and the Joint Airborne Troop Board at Ft. Bragg, NC and the 11th Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and Germany.
Colonel Jacobs' military education included the Advanced Infantry Officers Course, the Army Command and General Staff College, the Armed Forces Staff College, and the Army's Flight School where he became qualified in both airplanes and helicopters. He was selected to serve with the Army Staff in the Pentagon for three years, following which he was assigned the 16th Combat Aviation Group in Vietnam. He received numerous awards and decorations.
Following his retirement from the Army in 1970, Colonel Jacobs moved to Columbia and was employed by the Columbia Hospital of Richland County at its location on Harden and Hampton Streets, initially as Administrator of Federal Grants for Acute Stroke, at Stroke Rehabilitation Services, and for Gastrointestinal Services. Prior to the relocation of the hospital and renaming it, Richland Memorial Hospital, Colonel Jacobs was appointed Materials Manager. In that assignment, he played a major role in planning and coordinating the movement of the Hospital from the Harden Street location to the new facility; he also developed a modernized hospital system for procurement, inventory control, and distribution services for all departments including sterile supplies for the operating room. He also served as the Hospital's representative on the Board of Directors of Hospital Services, Inc.
When the hospital was reorganized, Colonel Jacobs was appointed Vice President for Administration with responsibility for various clinical and service departments. Several years later, during which his management responsibilities were greatly expanded, he was appointed the Hospital's first Senior Vice President.
By that time Colonel Jacobs also had assumed responsibility for all aspects of Hospital facilities and property management which included design, construction and construction management. In addition, he directed the Hospital's process for selecting and contracting services with architects, engineers, and general contractors for major projects. These projects included the cancer center, the psychiatric hospital, the rehabilitation hospital, the day care center, the ER expansion, the operating room expansion, four medical office buildings and three parking garages.
Colonel Jacobs was a member of the American College of Hospital Administrators, the National Association of Purchasing Management, and a Fellow in the Health Facilities Institute. He was a life member of the Military Officers Association, the Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays Kansas, the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association; the 82nd Airborne Division Historical Society and the 11th Airborne Division Association. Colonel Jacobs also was a 40-year member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the NRA and a 20-year member of the Interstate Hunt Club. He was a commercial pilot, Instrument Flight Instructor Pilot, and Helicopter Pilot with over 2000 hours of flight experience. Colonel Jacobs had a lifelong passion for fast cars, which intensified in 1957 when he purchased his first Porsche while stationed in Germany. At the Porsche factory, he met and collected the autograph of Dr. Ferry Porsche along with his new red Speedster. The love of Porsches continued though out his life as he spent time racing his Porsche in road courses across the Southeast.
Colonel Jacobs is survived by his wife of 17 years, Bené Jacobs of Columbia; Norman's children, Kirk Jacobs of Florence, SC, Jane Jacobs of Mt. Pleasant, SC, Jessamyn Jacobs of Sullivan's Island, SC and Nelson Jacobs (Trish) of Mt. Pleasant, SC; Bené's children, Angela Fellers (Charles) of New York, NY, Amanda Loveday (John) of Columbia, and Ryan Alpert of Memphis, TN; his adopted children, Kelly Cockes and Laurie Scruggs, and his grandchildren, Sharif Hamouda, Aiman Hamouda and Anna Claire Fellers. Colonel Jacobs was predeceased by his brothers, S. Leroy Jacobs of Jackson, MS and David F. Jacobs of Los Angeles, CA, and his sister, Verna LaBan of Tucson, AZ.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Army Historical Foundation, PO Box 96703, Washington, DC 20090-6703.