Jacob Hazen "Jake" Myers Sr.

1931 - 2020

(News story) Jacob "Jake" Hazen Myers, Sr., a retired Sylvania Schools custodian who volunteered to mentor schoolchildren, died Friday at his Lambertville home. He was 89.

He died of pneumonia, said his son, Jacob Myers, Jr.

The elder Mr. Myers retired in 2001 after about 10 years as a custodian at Sylvania Schools, where he was also a volunteer mentor for children in elementary schools and a Boy Scouts volunteer.

Before that, he was at different times a driver-salesman in Toledo for Great Lakes Beverage Co. and the former Variety Club Beverage Co.

He and his his wife of 70 years, Annabelle Myers, had also hosted at least 13 exchange students from Japan, Mexico, and Russia over the years.

"He was the oldest of 10 siblings, and he loved kids, so he was a natural with children," Mrs. Myers said.

"Mentoring was natural to him. That was just what he was," his son said. "He always had the children's attention. He was just like one of them. And they loved him. He was also a jokester, always playful."

In retirement, Mr. Myers volunteered for Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity, where he was once recognized as the Volunteer of the Year, his son said.

He also was a longtime blood donor.

Born June 5, 1931, in Temperance to Dorothy and Jacob Myers, Mr. Myers graduated in 1950 from Bedford High School, where he played football and baseball.

Later that year Mr. Myers married Annabelle Roby, his high school sweetheart with whom he would raise five children.

In his free time he liked to be in the company of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and attend their sports events, dances, and school functions. He also enjoyed yard work.

Mr. Myers was a lifelong member of St. Luke's Lutheran Church, Temperance, where he had served on several committees, and a member of the Tomahawk Archers, Temperance.

Mr. Myers was preceded in death by five siblings and a granddaughter.

Surviving are his wife, Annabelle Myers; son, Jacob Myers, Jr.; daughters, Lee Ann Henry, Terri Lykowski, Barbara Bauder, and Jennifer Johnson; brothers, Bradley Myers and DeArle Myers; sisters, Grace Semler and Jeanne Meyer; 29 grandchildren; and 38 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Michael W. Pawlak Funeral Home, Temperance, where services will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday.

The family suggests tributes to the Elizabeth Lykowski Volleyball Scholarship funds at either Whiteford High School or Indiana Tech University, or to the church.

This is a news story by Mike Sigov. Contact him at sigov@theblade.com, 419-724-6089, or on Twitter @mikesigovblade.