Susan Jacobsen

Thursday, August 23, 2018 8:23 pm

Susan Jacobsen, 72, of Decorah, died Sunday, Aug. 5, 2018, at Aase Haugen Senior Services, in Decorah. Services were at 11 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 25, at Canoe Ridge Lutheran Church in Decorah, with Rev. Stacey Nalean – Carlson officiating. Interment was at Canoe Ridge Cemetery in Decorah. Arrangements were handled by Schluter – Balik Funeral Home, Decorah.

Susan Dee Jacobsen was born Oct. 19, 1945, the daughter of Melvin “Jake” and Eleanor (Wise) Jacobsen in Decorah. She was baptized and confirmed at Canoe Ridge Lutheran Church where she also attended Sunday school and later helped teach summer bible school. She attended Pleasant No. 5 country school through the 8th grade and graduated ninth in her class from Decorah High School in 1963. Susan then attended the University of Northern Iowa and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology. In the early ‘60s Susan traveled with other young people to Mississippi. These groups of people became known as Mississippi Freedom Riders. All of her life Susan believed in equality for all people. She returned home to Decorah in 1977 and started working at the Aase Haugen Home as a social worker where she worked for 20 years. Susan had a lot of interests and hobbies and was instrumental in setting up the Decorah Genealogy Association. She also belonged to the Winneshiek Historical Society, Winneshiek County Historic Preservation Association and the Winneshiek Pioneer Cemetery Association. She was a big part of the Locust Lane Cemetery cleanup and record-keeping and also the Locust School restoration. Susan was a wealth of knowledge and loved to share her stories with everyone. She was on kidney dialysis three days a week for 19 years until recently making the decision to stop. In death, as in life, Susan did things her way.

Susan is survived by her two sisters, Nancy Elsbernd, Decorah; MaryAnn (David) Brooks, Clive; nephews, Kyle (Kristen) Elsbernd, Union Grove, Wis. and Ryan (Cindy) Elsbernd, Des Moines; great –nephews, Samuel, Lars and Jax Elsbernd; great-niece, Lila Elsbernd; uncle, Warren (Shirley) Wise, Hiawatha; along with many cousins.

Susan was preceded in death by her parents, Melvin “Jake” and Eleanor (Wise) Jacobsen; grandparents: Peter and Anna (Belling) Jacobsen and Sylvester and Ida (Peterson) Wise; brother-in-law, Kenneth Elsbernd along with many cousins.