Leon Lowenberg Jacobs, Jr.

Published 1:49 pm Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Leon Jacobs passed peacefully on Saturday, May 20 at the age of 93. Leon was born in Vicksburg MS, the son of Leon L. Jacobs Sr. and Reinette Lewinthal Jacobs. A graduate of Carr Central High School in 1948, Leon went on to attend Mississippi State before enlisting in the United States Air Force during the Korean conflict. Leon enjoyed a distinguished career in the Air Force which took him all over the world, serving as a tail gunner on B-36 aircraft, as a Radar Operator and Weapons Control Offices in all-weather fighter aircrafts and as a navigator assigned to worldwide photo mapping and weather during the Vietnam War. Notably, Leon was assigned Chief Airborne Instrumentation for ARIA (Apollo Range Instrumented Aircraft) in support of NASA space missions, where he acted as the communications liaison at Houston Space Flight Control during the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Upon retiring from the military, Major Jacobs returned to Vicksburg where he enjoyed a career at Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in plant engineering and met many of his dear friends. Leon was the President of the Anshe Chesed Jewish Congregation for eight years. An avid sportsman, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, and playing golf. Leon is survived by two daughters Diane Meyer (Jay) and Jill, daughter-in-law Rebecca, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, and his dearest friend and companion, Ann Gerache. He is preceded in death by his wife, Phyllis; son, Michael and dear friend Betty England. Visitation will be held May 30 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Fisher-Riles Funeral Home, 5000 Indiana Ave., Vicksburg. Funeral services will be held May 31 at 10 a.m. at the Anshe Chesed Temple, 2414 Grove St., Vicksburg with burial immediately following at the adjacent cemetery.