MILFORD – Bill Jacobson, a devoted partner, father, Mason,
and avid ham radio enthusiast, signed off for the last time early Thursday
morning, January 8, 2026, at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown due to a
cardiac event. He was 83.
Born May 17, 1942, in Syracuse, Bill was a son of the late Melvin G. and Nelda (Rudiger) Jacobson.
A graduate of Laurens Central School, Bill attended Chadron College in Nebraska and graduated with a degree in science and math. After college he worked for local news channels before opening an antique store in Albany.
While living in Cohoes, he met Eileen Mary Clifford, a Registered Nurse, and they were married May 27, 1976, in a ceremony in the chapel at Cohoes Hospital.
In 1978 the Jacobsons moved to Milford and Bill worked for Astrocom Electronics.
As an electrical engineer, Bill served as a radio officer in the United States Merchant Marine and oversaw all the ship’s communications and radar systems.
In addition to being an avid ham radio enthusiast (call sign K2MMW), Bill was also a devoted member of the Masonic Fraternity. He was Raised April 2, 1976, in Laurens Lodge No. 548, F. & A.M., and through the years served the Lodge as Marshal and Tiler.
He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.
Bill is survived by his devoted partner of 14 years, Donna I. Brown of Milford; his three children, Judith A. Smith Kessler and her husband Timothy of Milford, Ernest Smith and his wife Anne of Maryland and Mark Richard Smith of Oneonta; eight grandchildren, Sarah Eileen Helwig and husband, Matt, Renee Anne Sanders and husband, Aston, Timothy M. Kessler and wife, Marina, Kirsten Marie Russell and husband, Dakota, C. J. Smith, Courtney Taylor Smith, Kestra Mary Smith and Ian Daniel Smith; and six great grandchildren, Mia and Sylvia Helwig, Gabriel Russell, Wilder Kessler and Jordan and Luca Paul.
He is further survived by his sister, Judith Anderson of North Providence, Rhode Island, a brother, Arthur Jacobson of Greenville and their families, and Donna Brown’s children, Douglas Brown (Cassandra) of Tualatin, Oregon, Samuel Brown (Rebecca Lund) of Bedford, England, Sarah Stewart (Jamie) of Groton, Vermont, and Suzanne Kimani (Sam) of Windsor Locks, Connecticut and their families.
In addition to her parents, he was predeceased by his loving wife and friend of 36 years, Eileen Jacobson, who died May 1, 2012.
A Service of Remembrance will be offered at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at Evangelical Lutheran Church, 4636 State Highway 28, Hartwick Seminary, with the Rev. Paul R. Messner, Pastor, as Presiding Minister.
At the beginning of the service, Bill’s Brothers from Laurens Lodge No. 548, F. & A.M. will conduct the Masonic Memorial Service.
Burial will be private and at a later date in the Milford Cemetery.
In grateful recognition of the service provided to the Milford community, Bill’s family requests that, in lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in the form of memorial gifts be directed to the Milford Emergency Squad, PO Box 359, Milford, NY 13807, or Evangelical Lutheran Church, 4636 State Highway 28, Cooperstown, NY 13326.
Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.
