Robert Jacobs

Robert M. Jacobs, age 96
Business Executive, Chess Master, Golfer, True Gentleman
Bob passed peacefully on January 30, 2025. He was born in 1928 in Pittsburgh, the middle son of Samuel David and Elizabeth Cushner Jacobs. He was educated at the University of Michigan and the University of California in Los Angeles. Then for most of his adult life he was employed by Douglas Aircraft Company/McDonnell Douglas Corporation. During the 1960's he served as a financial executive negotiating and managing McDonnell Douglas's space business, helping to land a man on the moon. He became a nationally recognized expert on the structuring of Government contracts, authoring the widely used book "Incentives in Government Contracts." After the merger of McDonnell and Douglas, Bob relocated from California to Saint Louis where he served as an executive at McDonnell Douglas Headquarters. Also, he served as the President of AIA's prestigious Procurement and Finance Council.
While living in St. Louis he met, fell in love with and married Irene Squires. Bob and Irene had a beautiful lake home in Lake St. Louis where they hosted friends, had Kentucky Derby Parties, enjoyed time on their boat with a glass of wine and shared their love with family.
Bob also pursued a lifelong side-career in chess. Over seven decades, he won some 60 tournaments. In addition to over-the-board chess, Bob was active in correspondence chess, tying for 1st in the U.S. Chess Federation's 1972 Open Championship (Golden Knights) and winning outright the U.S. Chess Federation's 1976 invitational Absolute Chess Championship. In 1998, he was awarded the title of Correspondence International Chess Master. His chess games and articles have appeared in dozens of books and magazines around the world; in addition, he established and served as the first president of the now world-renowned Saint Louis Chess Club.
Along with his mastery of chess, he managed two holes in one and a score of 25 on the Lake St. Louis Par 3 golf course.
Preceded in death by his former wife Thyra Layton Jacobs, his son Dale Jacobs, brothers Donald and Harold Jacobs and step sons Barry and Kent Layton. He is survived by his wife, Irene and step sons George and Paul Squires and daughter in-law Debbie Jacobs. His grandchildren are Allison, Aimee, Darby, Michelle, Nicholas, and Samantha and Bob's great grandchildren are Michelle, Isla, Madison, Calvin, Georgia, Ava and Marisa.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the "Saint Louis Chess Club" https://saintlouischessclub.org/ or "McKendree University" Dale D. Jacobs Endowed Scholarship https://www.mckendree.edu/giving
The family will receive friends at Noon, Friday, February 7, 2025 at Wolfersberger Funeral Home, 102 W. Washington St., O'Fallon, Ill., followed by a funeral service to begin at 1 pm, at the funeral home. Burial will follow at College Hill Cemetery, Lebanon, Ill.