Jewel E. Jacobs, 89, of Starkville, Mississippi passed away on October 19, 2023 at Montgomery Gardens after a long illness.

Mom was born and raised in Pendleton Indiana. She played the trombone in her high school band and loved playing basketball and softball while in school. Always adventurous, upon graduation she took a position with the F.B.I., moving to Washington D.C. She met her first husband while working there. A risk taker by nature, she and her husband opened a Spudnut Donut Shop in the Washington suburbs. They later changed it to a small restaurant which they operated for ten years. After selling their restaurant she worked for Allegheny Airlines which became USAir. Upon retirement from USAir, Mom and her second husband Bill traveled extensively, particularly to Ireland, which led to them owning and operating Misty Isles, an Irish goods retail and import company in Frederick, MD. A few years later Mom and Bill sold the business and moved to Lake Keowee in Seneca, SC where they enjoyed their lovely lake views, lavishly decorating their home for Christmas, the wildlife, and their yard. Soon after her husband’s death, she moved with her dog, Pepper to Starkville to be near her daughter. This is where her love of Bop’s frozen custard began.
Mom was active and involved her whole life. She loved sports, particularly baseball, softball, and basketball. She continued to play on softball teams into her fifties. Despite the long hours running her restaurant, she was the troop leader for her daughters’ Girl Scout troops. She also was the team mom for her son’s sports teams bringing the goodies from the restaurant. She enjoyed crafts including liquid embroidery, woodworking, and quilting. Later in life, she joined the Daughters of the American Revolution, Tamassee Chapter in SC later transferring to the DAR HicAShaBaHa Chapter in Starkville.

Mom is survived by her sister, Laura Belle Hudson of Indianapolis IN, three children, Cindy Walker (Tom) of Starkville, MS, Tim Shearer (Kathy) of Miramar Beach, FL, Patty Gloth (Paul) of Glenwood, MD and two stepchildren Cheryl Jacobs of Markdale, Ontario Canada and Kurt Jacobs of Washington, DC. She also is survived by 13 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. She was pre-deceased by her husband William Jacobs, parents Elmer and Inez Davidson and a sister, Dorris Jarvis.

We will always be grateful to our Montgomery Gardens family for their loving care for the last twelve years. We are also grateful to her caregivers at Gentiva Hospice for their love and care.

In lieu of flowers, a gift in honor of Mom can be made to the Montgomery Gardens Employee Christmas Fund. Please make your check payable to “Montgomery Gardens”, with a designation of “Jewel-MG Employee Christmas Fund” on the memo line. Checks can be mailed to 4348 Old Hwy 12, Starkville, MS 39759.

A celebration of life and burial will be held in Maryland at a later date.