Robert deGreef JACOBI

October 30, 1941 - August 31, 2015

Robert deGreeff Jacobi was born on October 30, 1941 in Mt Kisko, New York and passed away on August 29, 2015. Rob grew up in Westchester County, New York.

As a teen he attended Phillips Andover Academy. Always an adventurous spirit, at 16 Rob followed a classmate home one summer to work on a large cattle ranch in eastern Nevada. He was inspired by the West and with other lads rode the rails all the way to California that summer before returning to school in the Fall.

He graduated from Swarthmore College in 1964 and served in the Peace Corps in Peru from 1964-1966. Upon his return, Rob attended the University of Indiana and received a Master's in Urban Economics in 1968. He began his career working for New York City in urban redevelopment.

In the early 1970's Rob followed his dream of moving to California and landed in the San Francisco Bay area. He moved to Sonoma County in 1972 and worked in Advanced Planning for the Sonoma County Planning Department doing the economic analysis for the first Sonoma County General Plan.

From 1974-1978 Rob taught an environmental design and planning course with a team of colleagues in the Conservation and Natural Resources Department at UC Berkeley. In 1979 he headed north to Humboldt County where he was a city planner for three small communities.

From 1982-1983 Rob served as City Planner for Healdsburg. He organized and hosted a Regional Urban Design Assistance Team through the American Institute of Architects in 1982 which engaged multi-disciplinary teams in the community to produce a community vision and action plan for the development of the west side of the Healdsburg Plaza.

Leaving the public sector in 1983, Rob became involved in real estate and commercial redevelopment in Healdsburg. He was a dedicated Rotarian and focused intently on developing and stewarding the Healdsburg Rotary Scholarship Program over many years and recently served on the Rotary Board as Director of Youth Services. Rob's passion for the youth of the Healdsburg community made it possible for many students to fulfill their dreams of a higher education.

Rob was a dedicated environmentalist, passionate about wilderness, conservation and a defender of wildlife. He loved his land in Dry Creek Valley and especially caring for his zinfandel vines. For over 25 years he relished time regularly at home in Hanalei on the North Shore of Kauai where he loved to body board in the ocean.

A passionate, intelligent, dedicated, generous and kind man, Rob loved life and was so interested in people, especially youth including his daughter and many nieces and nephews who he inspired. He loved to tell stories and make people laugh. Rob loved well and was well loved.

Rob is survived by the two beloved women of his life: his wife, Deborah Greene-Jacobi, and daughter, Kaitlin Jacobi, of Healdsburg; brother, Jan deGreeff Jacobi, and wife, Ginger of St Louis, Missouri; brother. Peter deGreeff Jacobi, and wife Sandra, of Durham, North Carolina; nieces, Lauren, Nina, Anna and Jorie Jacobi; and nephews, Tim, Ted and Peter Jacobi; members of the Greene Family, and a large circle of friends and colleagues who will miss him dearly.

A private celebration of Rob's life will be held in October. Memorial donations can be made on his behalf to the Healdsburg Rotary Scholarship Program and the Sonoma Land Trust.