Amanda Jacobsen

Amanda Jacobsen, age 34, passed away Friday, June 16, surrounded by her loving family. Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, June 22, and from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., Friday, June 23, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Preston, IA. Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program at the University of Iowa Hospital.
Amanda was born in Naperville, IL on Valentine's Day, February 14, 1989, daughter of Paul and Rochelle (Sauppe) Callender. Her family moved to a farm near Charlotte, IA when Amanda was 6 years old. Growing up, Amanda loved raising farm animals including chickens, ducks, geese, dogs, cats, pigs and a bottle-bucket calf. Amanda attended elementary school at St. Joseph Catholic School in DeWitt, IA, then Central DeWitt High School, graduating with the class of 2007.
After graduating, Amanda met the love of her life, Lee Jacobsen. Lee could never forget her selfless love, quick witted sense of humor and her radiant smile. They spent several summers showing pigs together at the Iowa State Fair. The couple would head off to different cities to attend college, but they didn't let the distance get in the way of their love, making frequent trips between Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, where Amanda studied psychology, and the University of Iowa in Iowa City, where Lee studied engineering. Amanda and Lee married on August 20, 2016. Together they raised three boys and celebrated 7 years of marriage. She pursued a career in the insurance industry, most recently working as a Commercial Lines Underwriter for Encova Insurance.
Amanda loved going with her husband to cheer on the Iowa Hawkeyes, attending 15 seasons of football games together. On the rare occasion she was not busy raising her three boys, she liked to spend her time reading books and watching shows like The Bachelor and Grey's Anatomy. Amanda was also a devoted friend to many. She made a point to spend as much time with her kids as she could, as it was important to her that her boys were raised right, used their manners, and showed respect. She was a loving, nurturing, and compassionate mother, who her kids would run to when they needed a friend or shoulder to cry on. Amanda's family was truly at the center of her life and her heart.
Amanda will be dearly missed by her loving husband, Lee Jacobsen, of Clinton, IA; three sons, Hayden, Jaxen, and Westen; her parents, Paul and Rochelle Callender of Charlotte, IA; three siblings, Leanne (Scott Smith) Callender of DeWitt, IA, Kyle Callender of Dyersville, IA, and Samantha (Oakley) Warren of DeWitt, IA; three nieces, Aleena, Kinley, and Ryleigh; her in-laws, Loran and Teresa Jacobsen of Goose Lake, IA; her brother in-law Matt (Laura Kottke) Jacobsen of Des Moines, IA; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. Amanda was also loved by her godparents, Ted Sauppe and Cheri Cyzewski. She in return is a loving godmother to Aleena Nicolay and Emersen Winkler.
Amanda is preceded in death by her grandparents, Shirley and James Sauppe, and Richard and Loretta Callender; and a brother-in-law, Andrew Jacobsen.