The memorial service for the renowned philanthropist Joan Jacobs was held on May 13 at the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, an outdoor music venue named after her in San Diego Bay.
Joan Jacobs passed away on the evening of May 6 due to a heart condition at the age of 91. This year was supposed to mark her and her husband, philanthropist and Qualcomm founder Irwin Jacobs, 70th wedding anniversary.
The memorial service lasted about two hours with about 600 attendees. Present on the stage were Joan Jacobs’s family, including her husband Irwin Jacobs, their four sons and their wives, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Some friends of the Jacobs family and representatives of the major institutions they donated to, such as Pradeep Khosla, the chancellor of the University of California, San Diego, also paid tribute to Joan.
The four sons of Joan Jacobs recalled their mother’s dedication to their education, protection, and care, stating that although she was involved in many activities, “family always came first and was the most important to her.”
Paul Jacobs, the third son, who succeeded his father as CEO of Qualcomm, said, “Our family was very close-knit, and Mom was always the center of our family gatherings.”
Youngest son Jeff Jacobs reminisced about how his mother inspired and helped him in his business endeavors. He mentioned that when he was preparing to purchase the luxury hotel Rancho Valencia, he lacked experience in managing a hotel. “But I had a secret weapon, and that secret weapon was my mom. No one had the taste and elegance like my mom.” He mentioned how she contributed to the redesign of the hotel and acted as his guiding light throughout the process.
Over a dozen friends of Joan Jacobs and representatives of charitable organizations shared stories of their time spent with her, describing her as “passionate,” “straightforward,” “wise,” “curious,” “sincere,” “generous,” and “stylish.”
Irwin Jacobs reminisced about small moments in his 70-year marriage with Joan. He mentioned how they usually got along very well but had occasional disagreements, which would quickly fade away.
He shared that it was Joan’s idea to make a significant donation to the San Diego Symphony as they were struggling post-bankruptcy. “She decided we should donate $100 million, which was used in various aspects, including the venue we are sitting in now.”
Irwin Jacobs also choked back tears as he recalled some details before Joan’s passing. He mentioned how she had a fall, hit her head and was taken to the hospital. Fortunately, the whole family lived in San Diego, so they took turns staying by her side. “On the evening she passed away, the doctors believed she was stable, so we all went home… but less than an hour later, we received a call from the hospital. She passed away very peacefully.”
Irwin Jacobs mentioned, “On her 91st birthday party this year, she wore a new red dress, which she had also worn at a recent Passover event.” He mentioned hearing her talk about the red dress in her sleep on a few nights. “So she left us wearing that red dress,” he said emotionally.
Joan Jacobs passed away on May 6 at the Jacobs Medical Center at the University of California, San Diego, named after her within the UCSD healthcare system. She was diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis in December 2019, and she was frequently seen in a wheelchair at public events. She passed away due to heart failure.
Throughout their lives, Joan and Irwin Jacobs made significant charitable donations in various fields including education, arts, culture, and society, impacting San Diego extensively. Their contributions include $120 million to the San Diego Symphony, $100 million to the Salk Institute, and $250 million to UC San Diego among others. In 2010, they signed the ‘Giving Pledge’ initiated by investors like Warren Buffett, committing to donate over half of their wealth to charitable causes.
The Jacobs couple moved from New York to San Diego in 1966, when Irwin Jacobs was invited to teach at UCSD.
In a 2011 interview with Epoch Times, Irwin Jacobs shared how he initially studied hotel management for three semesters at Cornell University, where he met his future wife, Joan. Three years later, in 1954, they got married.
He recalled how Joan convinced him to move to San Diego, sharing details about a house in La Jolla that sounded appealing. They quickly decided to accept a teaching position at UCSD and relocated to San Diego.
As Qualcomm grew into a wireless communication giant, Joan and Irwin Jacobs expanded their philanthropic endeavors, giving back to society. Their names adorn many buildings and institutions in San Diego. Apart from San Diego, they generously donated to their alma mater, Cornell University.