Cletus “Jake” Jacobs passed away at the age of 87in Sundance, WY, on August 7th, 2025.
Cletus was born to John and Dorothy Jacobs on January 18th, 1938, and was raised on their family farm outside of Regent, ND, as the third of eleven children. Growing up he was instilled with the values of faith, family, and service, and he would continue to embody those values all his life.
Cletus enlisted in the armyand was honorably discharged after two years. He then attended meat cutting school with his brother, George, in Ohio.Cletus got a job as a meat cutter at the local grocery store in Newell, SD, and it was there that he met the love of his life, Florence Adams. They had their first date at a circus held in Belle Fourche and never looked back. Cletus and Flo were married in Rapid Cityand shared 62 years of happy marriage.
Cletus and Flo began a family of their own, having a son, John, and five daughters, Joanne, Elaine, Mary, and twins Lou Anna and Lorie Ann. In 1972, Cletus and Flo moved their family from Newcastle, WY, to Sundance, WY, to begin their first foray into the restaurant business running the ARO Cafe. Sundance became their home, and they would go on to run two more restaurants in town: Tastee-Freez and Flo’s Place.
Although Cletus spent a majority of his career as a meatcutter, he wore many hats in his life, from restaurateur, to groundskeeper, to roofer. He had a strong work ethic and always kept himself in shape, working well into his 70’s. Even in retirement, Cletus loved having a project to work on, whether it was working on his barn or maintaining his lawn. When the working day was done, Cletus would retire to his favorite spot in the kitchen and begin reading through his mail. He was a dedicated and voracious reader. Newspapers, magazines, and even junk mail would be read cover to cover. Each evening, he would retreat into a sacred solitude—leaving behind the day’s demands to settle into peaceful communion with God. Cletus would open his Bible, allowing the Scripture’s timeless wisdom to flow into his heart. Then, he would guide his fingers across the rosary beads, each prayer a step closer to the Divine. This nightly ritual was more than routine; it was the lifeline of his faith—a quiet, unwavering devotion that nourished his spirit and anchored his soul in grace. When the readings were done, Cletus would get to work on one of his favorite sudoku puzzles.
Cletus was a man of strong faith, attending mass every week and serving his church in any capacity that he could. His devotion was apparent in all aspects of his life, and he lived his faith out on a daily basis. Cletus was a member of the Knights of Columbus and served as an Eucaristic Minister for many years. He donated to countless charities over the years (which inundated his never-ending stack of mail) and volunteered at his local food pantry even in retirement.
Cletus gained the nickname “Jake” in the army, but his favorite title by far was “Papa,” given to him by his 10 grandchildren. Cletus loved his family above all else and was never happier than when his house was overrun with kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids. When remodeling their house years after their children had left home, Cletus and Flo still made sure to add rooms, ensuring that there would always be space for visiting family. Their loving household served as the background to treasured memories from big events like Family Christmases, to small ones like walking to the park with Papa.
Cletus is survived by his wife, Flo Jacobs; his siblings, Judy (Leo) Schnell, George (Carol) Jacobs, Bob (Annie) Jacobs, Jane (Al) Geissler, Tony (Bobbie) Jacobs, Deloris (Rod) Nielsen, and Bonnie (Junior)Fischer; his children, John (Lara) Jacobs, Joanne (Mark) Bunney, Elaine (David) Brunson, Mary (Russell) Millar; his grandchildren, Brittney (Ryan) Russell, Tricia (Tucker) Goodvin, Shaina (Jackson) Wandler, Cletus (Erin) Jacobs, Larissa (Chris) Jacobs, Moriahn (Les) Wilson, Garret Brunson, Tasha (Nolan) Jacobs,Shelby Brunson, and Maeve Jacobs; and his 10 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Dorothy Jacobs; twin daughters, Lou Anna and Lorie Ann Jacobs; sister, Maryann Krebs; and brothers, Neal and Jerry Jacobs.
Rosary services will be held on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at 6:00PM at Fidler-Roberts & Isburg Funeral Chapel in Sundance, Wyoming. Visitation will be held at 9:00AM on Thursday, August 14, 2025, at Church of Christ in Sundance, WY, with Mass of Christian Burial beginning at 10AM. Burial will take place at Green Mountain Cemetery at a later date.
Memorial Contributions can be made to the St. Paul’s Catholic Church building fund.