Freeman Jacobson, 93

Published 12:00 am Friday, November 6, 2009

Memorial services for Freeman Nels Jacobson, 93, of Albert Lea will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church. The Rev. Clayton Balsley will officiate. Military honors will be accorded by Freeborn County area veteran’s organizations. Interment will be at Clarks Grove Cemetery at a later date. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.
Freeman died Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009, at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester.
Freeman Nels Jacobson was born in Freeborn County to John and Sena (Larsen) Jacobson on May 25, 1916. He attended school in the rural Clarks Grove area and at a young age joined the Civilian Conservation Corps. He served in the United States Army during World War II stationed on Kauai, Hawaii, as a tank mechanic. In 1947, he married Opal Christianson in Albert Lea and to their union Judith and John were born. Freeman started “Jake’s Body Shop” in the early 1950s and later took on a partner, Floyd Myers, renaming the business “Floyd and Jake’s.” He retained the towing contact for Albert Lea for many years. In 1972, the business was sold to Tow “N” Travel. Freeman served on several boards of Clarks Grove Baptist Church and in the mid 1980’s he and his family joined the Albert Lea First Baptist Church. He became the caretaker of the Clarks Grove Cemetery and worked at the Clarks Grove Hardware store. He enjoyed reading, gardening, rug weaving, fishing at his lake cottage, metal fabrication, fixing things and all things motorized. He was deeply loved and will be greatly missed.
Survivors include his wife, Opal; daughter, Judith (Jeffrey) Thomas of Nappanee, Ind.; son, John of Albert Lea; and many nieces and nephews.
Freeman was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Herman; sister, Grace Warfield; and niece, Patricia Coppock.