JACOBSEN - Kathleen D. (nee McGahan) "Kathe"July 14, 1936 - October 29, 2025

Kathleen "Kathe" Jacobsen, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed this Wednesday, October 29th, leaving behind a legacy of intelligence, grace, and quiet strength.

Born in the Bronx in 1936 to her loving parents, Mary (Spulnek) and John J. McGahan, Kathe's early life was marked by curiosity, imagination, and a lifelong love of learning. Her family soon moved to Long Valley, New Jersey, where she attended Hackettstown High School.

From an early age, Kathe consumed books the way most do food--voraciously and with deep delight. Her reading spanned the classics, the words of Winston Churchill, historical memoirs, and the mysteries of Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers. She shared her mother's passion for art and was awarded a scholarship to Columbia University to pursue it further, revealing a gift for creativity that would color every chapter of her life.

On July 4, 1964, she eloped with the love of her life, Edwin Jacobsen. Their marriage spanned fifty-one years, and she loved him no less after his passing in 2016. Ed's vivacious spirit and sense of adventure were an irresistible counterpart to Kathe's introspective, contemplative nature. Together, they built a life rich in love, respect, and shared dreams--first in Morristown, New Jersey, and later in Stowe, Vermont, where they purchased and operated a motel she helped convert into condominiums, all while raising their family with care and devotion.

In 1983, they returned to New Jersey, where Kathe began a successful twenty-five-year career with Weichert Realtors. Her sharp mind and integrity earned her professional distinction and lifelong friendships. After retiring, she moved to Greenville, South Carolina, to be near her daughter Robin and her family. Following Edwin's passing, she relocated to Western New York to be with her daughter Kristin, and granddaughter Meghan.

Kathe was known for her candor, her wit, and her wisdom--she was famous for "telling it like it is." She possessed a brilliant mind and a reverence for craftsmanship and tradition. She knitted the most intricate wool sweaters, sketched with natural elegance, and could answer nearly every Jeopardy question since the show's inception. She delighted in history, travel, and antiques, always drawn to things that held stories of their own. When not reading or creating, she could often be found watching tennis--whether a live match or one of her carefully recorded replays--and, after 2016, cheering passionately for the Buffalo Bills, her newly adopted team.

A lifelong animal lover, Kathe held a special devotion to her Shelties. The loss of her beloved Brody two years ago left a profound ache, yet she often found comfort in imagining his familiar paws waiting at Heaven's gate.

She was predeceased by her parents, her cherished husband Edwin, and her beloved cousin Barbara (Spulnek) Iaione. She is survived by her loving daughters Kristin (Mark) Jacobsen and Robin (Jim) Stout; her adored granddaughters Meghan, Miranda, and Clara; and many cousins and dear friends who will forever remember her depth, intellect, and unwavering honesty.

Kathe leaves behind a personal library of nearly one thousand books--a fitting reflection of a life steeped in curiosity, discipline, and reflection. Though her earthly story has reached its final page, the author of her faith has written a far greater ending. Her spirit, steadfast and luminous, is now reunited with her beloved Edwin--beside her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.Arrangements by: CASTIGLIA FUNERAL HOME, INC., 873 Abbott Rd., South Buffalo, NY, (716) 824-6435. Please share your condolences at: www.castigliafuneralhome.com