Donald G. Jacob

Donald G. Jacob

Poughkeepsie - Donald Gary Jacob, retired Pfizer executive and husband of a former City of Poughkeepsie mayor, died Thursday, April 2, 2015 in Poughkeepsie, NY, He was 73. Born in Ferndale, CA March 9,1942, Donald was the son of Marie Silva Jacob and Charles Jacob. He married Nancy Jean Cozean in 1976 in St. Francois County, Missouri. They moved with their daughter, Josephine,to Poughkeepsie, NY in 1980. Donald was an experienced senior executive who managed diverse teams in Fortune 100 and non-profit sectors. Among his professional accomplishments was Vice President of External Affairs at Pfizer, Inc. in New York, where he supervised alliance development with physicians and patient groups to improve accessibility to pharmaceuticals. He also directed legislative relations with state and federal policy makers. He later co-founded Patient Advocates Group with Beverly Zakarian, a nationally known cancer patient advocate of CANACT. Donald also served in an executive capacity with other health related organizations. He was Executive Director and COO for the Neuropathy Association and The Reach Institute in New York City. He also served on the boards of other healthcare organizations including the National Manic Depressives and Bipolar Association in Chicago, as well as The Epilepsy Foundation and NY Chapter of the Diabetes Association.

Prior to moving to New York, Donald served as a Senior Associate for the Appropriations Committee for the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C., while he worked for Republican Congressman, Mark Andrews, of North Dakota. Previously, Donald was a North Dakota State Legislator. He also worked as the Director of University Relations at University of North Dakota and later the University of Evansville in Evansville, IN, where he met his wife, Nancy. In education, Donald Jacob received a Doctor of Education, Ed. D from the University of Southern California, a Master of Arts in communications theory as well as a Bachelor of Science from the University of North Dakota, and he was graduated from the Program for Senior Executives in State Government from Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government in 1992. Donald began his college education while serving in the armed forces with the Strategy Air Command at Glasgow Air Force Base in Montana. He was honorably discharged in 1965. Donald Jacob was a strong advocate of urban planning and development and served on the Boards of Project for Public Spaces in NY, and the modern dance center, Jacob's Pillow in Lee, MA. He promoted corporate support for other organizations, including Brooklyn Academy of Music, NY Council of Humanities, and The College Board. His interest in history led him to become a member of the American Society of Appraisers. Recently his Poughkeepsie home was listed on the National Register of Historic Place. He was an enthusiast of the great outdoors where he fly fishing and rock collecting with his family, and traveling US and Canadian parks and scenic areas.

Donald is survived by his wife, Nancy Cozean Jacob and daughter Josephine Jacob and her husband, Oscar Felipe Montero of Queens, NY; daughters Jaynne Jacob Hallstrom and husband, Kent, of Alexandria, MN, Janelle Jacob, and her children Janzen, Jezyka and PFC Justin Jacob of Grand Forks, ND; brother Craig Jacob of Carlotta, CA; sister Leslie and husband, Jack Salvage, of Fortuna, CA.

The Funeral Service will be held Tues., April 14, 10:30am at The Reformed Church, 70 Hooker Avenue in Poughkeepsie, NY. A second funeral and burial service will be held April 22, at Cozean Funeral Home in Farmington, MO. Arrangements are under the direction of Wm. G. Miller & Son FH, Inc., 371 Hooker Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY 12603. If you would like to leave an online condolence please visit our website at www.wmgmillerfuneralhome.com