Neil E. Jacobs, age 87, of Batavia, passed away peacefully at his home on August 5, 2024 under Hospice care, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on March 17, 1937, in Batavia, New York to Harry and Mildred (Bastian) Jacobs.
Neil is survived by his son Neil P. Jacobs (Luanne) and daughter Patricia M. Barnes; grandchildren Taylor (John Pisanzio) Jacobs, Jenna Jacobs, and Joshua (Mary) Jacobs; great-grandchild Adelyn Jacobs; sister Linda (Richard) Wolff of Batavia, and brother Larry Jacobs of Florida, along with many nieces, nephews, and numerous in-laws.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife Mary A. (Maniace) Jacobs; sisters Judy Ryan, and Ann (Lawrence) Lamie; and niece Tammy Wolff.
Neil was an extremely generous and proud man. He would give whatever he could and never expected anything in return. From a young age he was a hard worker, starting out as the neighborhood paperboy and then as a butcher in the meat department at Marchese’s Groceries. This contributed to his love for cooking. He cooked alongside his wife Mary who shared the same passion. He loved making homemade soups, stuffed peppers, scalloped potatoes, his own blend of burgers, as well as sauce and meatballs. Along with cooking, Neil truly loved gardening. He had a huge garden in the backyard and spent many hours each summer tending to it. He always said “vegetables are the best thing for ya!” He loved having company over to sit outside and share a beer or two with him in the patio that overlooked his garden. He would always send a few bags of fresh picked vegetables from the garden home with whomever visited.
Neil was a United States Air Force Veteran, having served from 1955-1959. He was mostly known for being a self-employed carpenter. He completely renovated the house he lived in for 58 years. Neil was always willing to give a helping hand when needed and rarely charged what his time and materials were worth. He never cheated anyone and was a very honest man. He prided himself on being a good person and made many close friendships with his customers.
Neil also loved to hunt and fish and shared this passion with his son, “Little” Neil. He was nicknamed “The Salmon Man” and would often take the boat out to fish at Point Breeze on Lake Ontario with his son and other family and friends. Neil loved to talk about the “good old days” and stories of his fishing trips, mostly stories about how they barley escaped storms or large fish he caught. Along with his fishing stories, he loved to tell stories about growing up in Batavia and how “things used to be.” He also enjoyed reminiscing about his past in the Air Force and his time in Japan and Texas. Neil had many friends and was known as “The Mayor of Maple Street” as he would sit in his chair on the enclosed front porch and watch the neighborhood.
He enjoyed spending time with children and would often make contributions to St. Jude and Golisano Children’s Hospital, especially since his great granddaughter was a patient there since birth. Neil will be remembered fondly by his children and grandchildren as well as his other family members and friends. He lived a long and fulfilling life and made an impact on many people. He will be remembered as a generous, caring, loving, and a hard-working independent man.
His family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the VNA Home Care Services and Hospice for the excellent care provided to him in the last few weeks of his life. Neil will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. May he rest in peace and be reunited with his loved ones.
There are no prior calling hours and there will be no funeral services. A Graveside burial will be held at the discretion of the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Genesee Cancer Assistance 127 North St. Batavia, NY 14020 or Visiting Nurses Association of WNY https://foundation.kaleidahealth.org/donate/ or Homecare & Hospice 29 Liberty St. in Batavia. To leave an online message of condolence please visit www.gilmartinfuneralhome.com. Arrangements completed by Gilmartin Funeral Home, 329-333 West Main Street, Batavia, New York 14020.
