Nancy Gayle (Shipp) Jacobson

Nancy Gayle Jacobson, 72, of Idaho Falls, passed away July 1, 2024, of complications from Lewy Body Dementia.

Nancy was born December 29, 1951, in Bell Gardens, California, to William Jasper Shipp and Ruby Edwards Shipp. She and her brother, Bill, were introduced to and baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while in their youth. She grew up and attended Bell Gardens High School before moving to Ririe, Idaho, and graduating from Ririe High School in 1970. She was Ms. Ririe High and voted Ms. Congeniality. Nancy loved the slow-paced lifestyle and wide-open fields of Idaho. She made many friends in Ririe and attended Ricks College on a Seminary Scholarship.

Nancy remained a valiant and faithful servant of the LDS faith throughout her lifetime. She served in several capacities in the church, but her passion was always working with the youth. She had a special, God-given talent that allowed her to touch the hearts of others, helping them to know and understand the love she knew God had for them. Throughout her life, she served several times as both Stake and Ward Young Women’s President, among many other callings.

On July 16, 1971, she married Paul Leroy Jacobson in the Los Angeles LDS Temple. They had four children: Brian, Matthew, Helen, and Rebecca. Their family lived and traveled all over the world as Paul was in the Air Force for over twenty years and later retired from United Airlines. The several years they spent in England were filled with especially happy memories. There, Nancy made life-long friends and again shared her love of God with the youth.

Nancy had many jobs throughout the years, but returned to finish college at age 50. In 2005, she graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Northern Colorado with her Bachelors Degree in Early Elementary Education. She then taught elementary school for 13 years in Colorado, further proof that she truly enjoyed helping to develop the minds of youth.

Nancy will forever be known for her larger-than-life personality. She knew how to love big! She was always surprising someone by dressing up on their birthday, showing up at their job with flowers and balloons, playing pranks, opening her home to all, and going above and beyond to make you feel you were the only person that mattered.

Nancy was a very accomplished seamstress and cook, but her favorite interest and hobby was spending time and creating treasured memories and traditions with her nine grandchildren: Ethan, Emma, and Mary (Jacobson); Claire, Matthew, Nicholas, and Sophie (Zollinger); and Charlie and Sadie (Bacon). Among so many other activities, she and her grandchildren took incredible vacations, made one-of-a-kind kitchen table forts, bought countless water slides, and purchased and played with endless amounts of American Girl Dolls.

Nancy is survived by her husband, Paul, and their two daughters, Helen Zollinger (Christian) of Idaho Falls and Rebecca Bacon (Brenton) of Queen Creek, Arizona; daughter-in-law, Alison Jacobson of Sandy, UT; her brother, Billie John Shipp (Trudy) of Sandy, Utah; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and two precious boys, Brian and Matthew. Her patience for their much-anticipated reunion was a difficulty she lived with daily, and we have no doubt it was an incredible moment.

Private family services will be held.