Thomas G. Jacobs, Boardman, Ohio
Born on August 25, 1945, in Youngstown, Ohio, Tom was the son of the late Clyde and Nancy (Evans) Jacobs.
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He was a 1963 graduate of South High School, he was a proud lifelong resident of the Mahoning Valley.
Tom dedicated over 25 years of service as an investigator for the State of Ohio. Known for his integrity and professionalism, he brought dedication and care to his work.
Deeply involved in his community, Tom was an active Mason and a member of numerous Masonic and affiliated organizations throughout the Tri-County area. He was a member of Leetonia Lodge #401 F&AM, Negley Lodge #565 F&AM, the Scottish Rite Valley of Youngstown, the York Rite Bodies, the Al Koran Shrine, the Youngstown Shrine Club and Aut Mori Grotto. He also enjoyed camaraderie and culture as a member of the Youngstown Saxon Club.
Tom is survived by his loving wife of 32 years, the former Shirley Ann James, whom he married on October 16, 1993; two stepsons, Steven J. (Kimberly) Chester of King George, Virginia and Stuart John Chester of Warren, Ohio; his brother, John R. Jacobs of Cypress, Texas and several nephews.
Family and friends may call on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m., at Davis-Becker Funeral Home, 8536 Market Street in Boardman. The Negley Lodge #565 F&AM will conduct a Masonic service at 6:00 p.m., followed by a funeral service. Military Honors will be rendered on Thursday, July 3, 2025, at 12:15 p.m., at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery, 10175 Rawiga Road, Seville, Ohio.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that material tributes take the form of contributions to Angels for Animals, 4750 W. South Range Road, Canfield, OH 44406, in memory of Tom.
Please visit www.beckerobits.com to share memories and condolences with the family.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Thomas 'Tom' G. Jacobs, please visit our floral store.Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Los Angeles Times
07-08-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Tom and Ethel Bradley house among Black heritage sites in L.A. designated cultural monuments
When Tom and Ethel Bradley moved with their two young daughters into a modest three-bedroom home in Leimert Park in 1950, Black people were restricted from buying houses in the neighborhood. The Bradleys had to purchase the home through a white buyer likely affiliated with the American Civil Liberties Union, recalled their oldest daughter, Lorraine Bradley, who was almost 7 years old at the time. 'It was the very first time that a Black family moved into Leimert Park,' said Lorraine, explaining the immediate historic significance of the home, and adding that her parents were brave people who believed integration was essential to equality. 'My parents understood the implications of that. They were willing to sacrifice themselves in many regards.' For the first year, white children on the street wouldn't play with Lorraine or her 5-year-old sister, but that slowly changed and the family became accepted in the neighborhood. It helped that Tom was a police officer, said Lorraine. Tom and Ethel explained to their children that, 'unless people understood and lived with you, they would only look at you racially and not as a person,' said Lorraine. The 1,282-square-foot home — where the Bradleys lived until 1977, when Tom became the first Black mayor of Los Angeles and moved the family into the 10,000-square-foot Getty House — is among six buildings of deep importance to Black heritage in L.A. that have been designated Historic Cultural Monuments as part of a project led by the Getty in collaboration with the City of Los Angeles' Office of Historic Resources. 'We are thrilled for everyone to recognize the courage that my parents took to move to that neighborhood,' said Lorraine. 'Somebody had to, so my dad and mom decided it was them.' The additional sites to receive landmark status are Stylesville Barbershop & Beauty Salon in Pacoima; St. Elmo Village and Jewel's Catch One in Mid-City; the California Eagle newspaper in South L.A.; and New Bethel Baptist Church in Venice. The designations are the culmination of ongoing work done by African American Historic Places, Los Angeles, which was launched by the city and Getty in 2022 with the goal of identifying, memorializing and protecting the city's Black heritage and history. Each site will receive its own plaque. Celebrations are set for later this month at the Bradley residence, St. Elmo Village and Jewel's Catch One. Stylesville is planning a party for a later date. 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