On Saturday, March 22, 2025 Wilma Jean Jacobs, our loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great grandmother passed away at OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center in Peru.

Visitation will be Thursday, March 27th from 11:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. with funeral services following at 12:30 p.m. at Horner-Merritt Funeral Home, 800 Monroe Street in Mendota. Burial will follow in Restland Cemetery, Mendota.

Wilma was born October 3, 1934, in Wayne County, IL to Curtis and Blanche Brown. She moved to Mendota in 1944. She attended Mendota Grade School and Mendota High School.

She was a loving wife for 36 years to Richard (Dick) Jacobs Sr. They were married on October 17, 1952. Her husband passed away on July 16, 1988. Together they raised four children, Richard (Rick) (Karen) Jacobs Jr. of Montello WI, Terry (Wanda) Jacobs of Pearland, TX, Sandra (Tom) Sondgeroth of Mendota, and Connie (Rick) Zimmer of El Mirage, AZ.

Wilma worked at The Kitch, Casey's, and retired in 2000 from HCC, Inc. after 26 years. She was very involved with her children's activities throughout their youth, being a Room Mother, Bluebird Leader, and Cub Scout Leader. She and her husband enjoyed attending their children's activities, never missing their sporting events, band concerts and school programs.She was a lifelong member of Mendota Elks Club.
She enjoyed boating, camping, shopping and spending time with her family. She loved tohost all of the family holidays and gatherings. Family was very important in her life.

Survivors include her children; her grandchildren, Staci (Kenny) Shrimplin, Candee (Nick) Lawrence, Kelsey (C.J.) Greer, Jessica Sondgeroth, Janelle Spiegelhalter, Joshua Sondgeroth, Stephanie Jones and Tonya Jones; 12 great-grandchildren; Ragen Leopold, Karli Forbes, Kenzi Shrimplin, Zaden and Brenley Greer, Clara and Ellie Spiegelhalter, Bodhi Tillman, Abigayle and Jacob Orndorff, Nicholas Egerstaffer, Isabella Jones; 2 great-great-grandchildren, Jensen and Eliza Leopold; her sister-in-law Lois Ridge; special friend Shirley Jackson; special nieces Becky (Tommy) Valdez, Wanda (Larry) Booth; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; brothers, William (Stanley), Delbert, Paul and Jesse Brown; sisters Leona Ellis and Helen Anderson; her grandson, Chad Sondgeroth; and several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Wilma's memory may be directed to Mendota Area Senior Services. She will be forever loved and missed. We know she will be forever reunited with the love of her life. We will always cherish her memory.

Please visit www.horner-merritt.com to sign the online guest book.