Mary L. Jacobus, 91, passed away Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, from complications of renal cancer.
She was born Aug. 27, 1928, at Lapwai. She was raised by her maternal grandmother, Jane Smith, and attended school in Lapwai, until she developed tuberculosis and was taken to a TB sanitarium.
During her teens in the 1940s, she went to Seattle to live with an aunt. During her time in Seattle, she worked for a Chinese restaurant and did modeling for Sears and Roebuck. She studied ballet for a while, but didn’t pursue it further because, as she put it, “it was too hard on the toes.”
Because of a rape and birth of a daughter, she then moved back to Idaho. She met and married Philip Wilcox in 1946. They made their home in Sunnyside, Wash., and a son was born from this union. They later divorced. She married Charles Jacobus in 1956, and they later separated. She met her companion, Philip Smith, in 1964 and remained together for 52 years until his death in 2016. They resided in Lewiston and Plummer for a short period of time before settling in Sunnyside.
In later years, she worked for Del Monte Foods and for the Mt. Adams Furniture Company in Toppenish, Wash.
She took Powder Puff Mechanics at Lower Valley Community College. She also took an upholstery course and reupholstered several pieces of furniture. She was an accomplished self-taught pen-and-ink artist, doing cartoon characters and portraits. Despite her talent, she didn’t pursue a career in art.
She enjoyed hunting, huckleberry picking, digging roots and camping. Her hobbies included crocheting, embroidery, beadwork, sewing and other crafts that she gave to friends, family and acquaintances.
She was a bit of a daredevil, and she and Phillip obtained motorcycles that they enjoyed riding and “jumping” — up to the time she made a jump and crashed, breaking several fingers. They enjoyed adventures in their motorhome, traveling for hunting and berry picking.
She fostered two children, Frank Smith and Teresa Smith, of Phillip’s brother, from toddlers to adolescence. She was an animal lover and was always a pet parent to a dog or a cat, often taking in strays that showed up.
She is survived by her daughter, Mary Schwab, of Lewiston; a daughter, Bobbie Jo Smith, of Spokane; a sister, Darlene McCarty, of Spokane; granddaughters Siwan Schwab, of Lewiston, Cassie Wilcox, of Yakima, and Ezalee Smith, Phalisitie Bell and Christina Lubbin, all of Spokane; grandsons Larry Schwab, of Lewiston, Demetrius Bell, of Spokane, and John Dorsey, of Hawaii; great-granddaughters Krystal Elizondo, of Lewiston, Amber Elizondo, of Clarkston, Lili Wilcox, of Yakima, and Cameah Kelley, Kyra Kelley, Shaya Holland, Alix Brinman, Samara Charles, Gia Brinman and Briell Bell, all of Spokane; great-grandsons Ross Holland, Charlie Brinman and Jaydom William, all of Spokane; and 14 great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Iva Betty Barber; son James Wilcox; and sisters Barbara Boatright and Edith Wildshoe. She was also blessed with three fathers, William Davis, Spencer McCarty and Charlie Barber, all of whom preceded her in death.
She was a loving and caring soul with a huge capacity for forgiveness toward those who wronged her. She readily made friends with those she met. She was “grandma” and “aunt” to many. A shining light has gone out and will be missed by all who knew her.
A rosary will begin at 10:30 a.m. Saturday with a funeral Mass immediately following at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lapwai. Burial will be at Jacques Spur Cemetery. Mountain View Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
