James Alan "Jim" Jacobus

Jim Jacobus, 46, of Iowa City, Iowa, passed away peacefully at home following a diagnosis of glioblastoma brain cancer. Since the 2024 diagnosis, he focused on living fully, enjoying intentional time with friends and family, and engaging in science through clinical trials at the University of Iowa, including a trial that he learned about during his post doc work as he shared an office with the researchers developing the protocol.

Jim was born in Canton, Illinois, to Chet Jacobus and Kristina (Johnson) Lewis. He was the valedictorian of his class at Cuba High School and graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences as a James Scholar, earning High Honors. He went on to earn his Doctorate in Toxicology from the University of Iowa's Department of Occupational and Environmental Health and completed postdoctoral work in Radiation Biology and Free Radical Biology.

Jim dedicated his career to protecting public health, serving as a Toxicologist in Health Risk Assessment for the Minnesota Department of Health for nine years before joining Ecolab/Nalco as a Toxicologist and Regulatory Specialist. He made an impact on those he worked with and found success by understanding when and how to speak the science in ways that each audience understood whether it be the Federal EPA or community members across the state of Minnesota.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Jim was a devoted husband, father, and friend. He loved coaching his sons in baseball and later cheering them on from the sidelines of basketball courts. An avid outdoorsman, Jim grew up hunting with his Grandpa Dean and rediscovered his passion for deer and pheasant hunting after settling in Iowa City. He cherished time at the family farm and throughout the Midwest with his hunting dogs, Remy and Gemma, and the friends and family who joined him walking the fields. Outside of hunting season, Jim enjoyed working on prairie restoration projects, learning about Miscanthus research, and tackling farm maintenance alongside his father-in-law, Steve. His favorite times of the year were pheasant season, Memorial Day 'boys trip' to Clitherall Lake in Battle Lake, MN, the 4th of July party hosted each year by his brother's family, the annual Iunghuhn Euchure Tournament in July, and summer trips with his siblings and their families.

Jim is survived by his spouse of 23 years, Laura, and their children, Max (20) and Alex (17) of Iowa City; his parents, Chet Jacobus (Denise) of Washington, IL, and Kristina Lewis (Jim, d 2023) of Sebring, FL; his siblings, Jon Jacobus (Heidi, Katie, Jack, and Carter) of Petersburg, IL, and Jenni Markello (John, Sydney, and Parker) of Canton, IL; four step-siblings and their families, and his in-laws, Steve and Janie Schomberg of Iowa City, and John Schomberg (Ellen Wheeler, Jacob, and Ray) of Chicago, IL.

Memorial donations may be sent to the Jacobus Family in care of Laura Jacobus; contributions will go towards scholarship for Max and Alex and Pheasants Forever, or to a memorial of choice.

Jim will be remembered for his sharp intellect, occasionally appropriate (but mostly not) sense of humor, and deep love for his family, friends, and the outdoors. His legacy lives on in the lives he touched and the memories shared.

A celebration of Jim's life will be at 1:00pm on Monday, January 12, 2026 at First Presbyterian Church (2701 Rochester Avenue, Iowa City, IA 52245). Family will greet guests beginning at 12:00pm, prior to the service at the church.

Private Service will be held at White Chapel Memorial Gardens in Canton, Illinois at a later date.

Online condolences and memories may be shared on Jim's Tribute Wall.