Eugene "Gene" Jacobsen

1937 - 2020

Gene was born in Selma, California on May 5th, 1937 to Ernest and Francis Jacobsen where he was raised and lived until his passing. He spent a few of his teenage years in Santa Cruz where he utilized his talents as a competitive swimmer by working as a lifeguard on the various local beaches and attended the old Santa Cruz High School. Gene loved to share stories of his rebellious years of lifeguarding all day and then racing his 57 Chevy at night. His love of Selma brought him back for his senior year of high school where he graduated from Selma High School in the class of 1955. Gene held several records as a member of the swim team and played pulling guard for the 1955 Valley Champion Selma Bears football team. He remained involved in Selma High School sports, spending years as President of the Bear Backers foundation. He often reminisced about watching his son Eric and daughter Denise play sports for the "Orange & Black" and was so proud of both of their accomplishments. Gene met the love of his life, Joetta Netherland, in Selma and soon married in May 1961. Together they founded Jacobsen Trailer Inc., a successful trailer manufacturing company located on land that they had purchased in Fowler, CA. Gene loved manufacturing custom trailers that would fit the unique needs of his customers. After a few years, Gene and Joetta started a family with son Eric in 1964 and daughter Denise in 1967. Gene used to joke about trading in his Corvette for a station wagon and that is when the adventures began. Gene loved to take family trips across the US and Mexico always finding new and exciting places to visit. His love for motorcycles led him and the family to take several trips to the desert where they would ride dirt bikes and tell stories around the campfire. In his later years, he enjoyed taking the entire family on multiple trips to Hawaii. Whether it was a European vacation or an afternoon on the lake water skiing, Gene was always up for an adventure. Gene shared his love for animals with his wife and children. They had more cats than most people would see in a lifetime and even had fostered an African lion cub for a few nights. His loveable "shop dog" Missy was always at his side, jumping into his truck every morning on their way to Jacobsen Trailer. Gene enjoyed spending time with Joetta and the grandchildren at their beach house in Aptos where they would play in the waves at Seacliff Beach followed by a fun dinner on the wharf or watching them enjoy the rides at the Boardwalk. Next to his love for his family, Gene loved his classic cars. You never found Gene without at least one 56 or 57 Chevy in his multiple car collection. He could be found at just about every local car show in the Central Valley along with many others around the central coast and Santa Cruz. The only thing he loved more than showing his cars was driving them, as fast as they would go. He loved to race anything with an engine, from drag boats to dirt bikes to 200 lap enduro races with modified muscle cars around dirt tracks. Gene is survived by his wife Joetta, son Eric Jacobsen, wife Sylvia Jacobsen and grandchildren Max, Emily, Mark and Brianna and his daughter Denise Segal, husband Wes Segal and grandchildren Hannah and Paige, and his beloved fur child Dottie. He is also survived by his brother-in-law Gayle "Smitty" Smith and several nieces and nephews. A private burial was held with family. The family asks that any remembrances/donations be sent to The Cat House on the Kings in Parlier, California.