Frances Marie Freitas Jacobs

     Frances Marie Jacobs passed away August 29, 2020 at the Senior Lifestyles Home in Bakersfield, California where she had been a resident for 18 months. She was 98 years old. Frances was born September 22, 1921 in Merced, California. She was born on the ranch that her Grandfather Joseph E. Freitas, a Portuguese-Azorian, Flores, who came to California on a English Whaling Ship in 1870. He bought 900 acres from his whaling Captain. His son, Joseph I. Freitas and Marie Cardoza Freitas (the daughter of a Portuguese-Azorian,Flores) were the proud parents of Frances. Frances had a brother Louis, a sister Minnie, and another sister Irma to play with on the ranch; with plenty of sheep and dairy cows to look after.

     In 1930 Frances came to Bakersfield with her Mother, Marie and sister, Irma. They stayed awhile with her Maternal Grandfather, John C. Cardoza. At the time he was raising some very good Sweet Potatoes in the Arvin area. They stayed awhile, long enough to go to school at Mountain View where she graduated from the 8th grade as her class Valedictorian. She and her sister attended BHS (at that time it was KC), her sister graduated but Frances (3 years younger) had to go work. She worked at the San Joaquin Hospital. Her first vacation she returned to Merced, California to

 visit her father's Ranch. While there she went to the little country store in El Nido, California. There she encountered a handsome young man at the vegetable display. Three months later they married-18 and 19 years of age in Reno, Nevada (November 1939). When they came back to Merced her husband James W. Jacobs was asked by his father to join him in Nevada to catch wild horses. Off they went. Frances didn't take well to the cold and damp weather-she developed Tonsillitis. She drove herself to Bakersfield and went to Kern County Hospital (Kern Medical Center), for treatment and a Tonsillectomy. Her husband came as soon as he could to Bakersfield. Frances was recuperating with her mother-in her Grandfather's newly built adobe house on Pacific Street.

     James got a job with "Hartmans Concrete Company", emptying dry cement sacks into Cement Mixers. It became necessary to live in Taft, California for awhile. Before moving to Taft they had their first daughter Carol Ann. While in Taft a second daughter was on the way! They moved back to Bakersfield and Nadine Frances was born. When Carol Ann was two and a half and Nadine Frances was one and a half, James was drafted into the Army. Frances followed him to Texas for his Bootcamp. She took Carol Ann with her-but had to leave Nadine Frances with her mother, Marie. When James was shipped to Okinawa Frances returned to Bakersfield. Her mother and Nadine Frances were living in the home she and James had rented on Washington Street. When James and many other young men were released from the Army due to the bombing that ended the war with Japan he came home, but before he could get back the landlord sold the house. Frances and her girls had to stay with her sister Irma and her family. When James got off the Ship at San Pedro, California and made it to Bakersfield he bought a lot on Woodrow Avenue and built a house himself!

Frances realized that her young husband was full of energy and he was determined they would have some "Security"! While living at Woodrow Avenue their son Richard Douglas was born. (All three children were born at Miss Friese's Maternity Home)

     James was off and on his way to becoming a grading and engineering Contractor. It started with the" Big Bear Sand and Rock Company". This came about because he won a right to buy a Bulldozer being sold by the Government.

     Frances was mostly a homemaker/housewife.  James was happy to have Frances as a helpmate, sometimes to even drive a truck in an emergency, etc. James called his business "Jacobs Construction Co." He was awarded lots of Bids for Roads in Kern County. As time went on Frances and James purchased property around Kern County. One of  which was the old "Rainbow Garden" which was owned by the Portuguese Lodge (IDES) in Bakersfield. After they purchased the property which at the time had a lease that had to be honored to an "Archery Business", they used the property to park all the road building equipment (trucks,Loaders,heavy equipment). Ten years later they were approached by the Basque Club to buy the property for their Club activities. They struck a deal---SOLD! James moved his equipment to five acres on Patton Way just off Rosedale Hwy. James passed away in 1987.

     Frances went to Lufkins Business College in Bakersfield-she was only there for a few months-her sister Irma said "come help me with the Books at Callaways Crankshaft Grinding, I will teach you!"

In 1990 her son's daughter, Marlena was born and he wasn't able to take care of her, so Frances volunteered to take care of her. It turned out to be a permanent arrangement. Frances had always had a love for ice cream-therefore it was a perfect outing for her and Marlena to make many trips to the best ice cream parlor ever "Rosemarys Creamery". For their protein there were many visits to "Westchester Bowl Coffee Shop".

      Frances is survived by her daughters Carol Ann Jacobs Herring and Nadine Frances JacobsTuculet; daughter-in-law Deana Baird Jacobs. Grandchildren, Tania Ann Herring Robuck Goudsword (Ric Goudsword), Vance Edward Herring (Lisa A. Serrano),  James Douglas Jacobs-Collier (Amy May Bender), Marlena Marie Jacobs, Terrianna Jacobs Johnson (Alexander Johnson). Great- Grandchildren: Lauren G. Robuck, Christina E. Herring, Nicholas James Herring, Ava Nicole Herring, Andrew James Jacobs-Collier, Ava Grace Jacobs-Collier, Zoey May  Jacobs-Collier Oliver Johnson and Orion Johnson. Niece Helen Marie Jones and Nephews David B. Jones Jr. and Joseph (Joey) Freitas.

     She was predeceased by her husband James Willard Jacobs; brother Louis Freitas; sisters Minnie Freitas and Irma Freitas Jones; parents Joseph I. Freitas and Marie Cardoza Freitas;

son Richard Douglas Jacobs; son-in-law Ronald Tuculet; nephew Jim Freitas.

Many thanks to Linda Boden and the caregivers , Sandra, Diana, Bobbie Lynn, Paula, Crystal, Joy and Caroline.

      Visitation will be at Doughty-Calhoun-O'Meara Chapel, Tuesday Sept. 8th. from 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.  Rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m.  Graveside service will be held at Greenlawn Cemetery, River Boulevard at 9:00 a.m. Wednesday Sept. 9th.