Charles Jacoby

JACOBY

Charles Arthur



Charles Arthur Jacoby, of Toledo, Ohio died at home on June 12, 2014. He was 88 years old.

Charles was born on December 9, 1925, in Vienna, Austria. In 1938, after the Nazis annexed Austria, his family immigrated to the United States. They booked passage on the Queen Mary, but were allowed to take very few possessions. When they arrived in New York City, they had only about thirty dollars.

With the help of the Quakers, they settled in Pittsburgh, where Charles attended Peabody High School. He graduated at the age of 16 in 1942. After attending engineering school at Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University), he interrupted his studies to join the United States military in 1944. He ended up in the infantry. During training, he was summoned by loudspeaker to headquarters. Fearing some type of reprimand, he was pleased to find out that he had been called there in order to be naturalized as a United States citizen, before being shipped overseas.

Charles served in combat in North Africa, Italy, France and Germany. He received a series of field promotions and became an officer and platoon leader at the age of 18. At 19, he became a company commander. His unit broke through to relieve the 82nd Airborne in the Battle of the Bulge. He received a purple heart and a bronze star. The French decorated him with a Croix de Guerre for actions in support of a Free French unit in Sherbrooke, France. After VE Day, he was assigned to Army Intelligence and served as a security officer and translator at the Nuremburg Trials.

After the war, Charles completed his studies at Carnegie Tech, earning degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering in 1948. He worked as an engineer for U.S. Steel until he was called up during the Korean War in 1951. While traveling in uniform by train from Pittsburgh to Baltimore, he met his future wife, Joan Fitzpatrick. They were married in 1953 and had three children.

His engineering career included positions at U.S. Steel in Pittsburgh, West Virginia Pulp and Paper in Frostburg, Maryland, Crucible Steel in Midland, Pennsylvania, Copperweld Specialty Metals in Warren, Ohio and Sharon Steel in Sharon, Pennsylvania. He retired in 1988.

During his 26 years of retirement, he and his wife traveled extensively. He enjoyed sailing and golfing and especially spending time with his family to whom he was devoted. Charles and Joan moved to Toledo, Ohio, in 2006, where Joan continues to reside. He is survived by his wife, Joan; children, Linda (Fitzhugh) Turner, Jennifer (Joseph) Dawson and William (Rebecca) Jacoby, and grandchildren, Abigail Turner, Emily Turner, Patrick Dawson, Rachel Dawson, Julia Jacoby, and Charles Arthur Jacoby II, as well as his older sister, Hansi Kemeny, and nephews, Gary and Richard Kemeny.

Charles personified the "Greatest Generation." He will be sorely missed.

The family would like to express deep appreciation to Tammy and Fred and the care givers from Senior Independence Home Health Care and Hospice. At Charles' request, his family is holding a private memorial service at the Century Club at Pymatuning Lake, where Charles so enjoyed sailing. Memorial donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Foundation or a charity of the donor's choice.