John Tobias Jacobs, a beloved college professor, avid reader, and devoted family man, passed away peacefully on March 28, 2026, at the age of 79, at Winchester Medical Center in Winchester, VA.

Born on September 5, 1946, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, John was the son of the late John Joseph Jacobs and Congetta (Chieffi) Jacobs. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English degree from King’s College and a Ph.D. in English and American Literature from the University of Notre Dame.

For many years, John was a cherished College Professor of English and American Literature at Shenandoah University, retiring in 2015 as a Professor Emeritus.

He married the love of his life, Joanne (Ciske) Jacobs, Ph.D., on July 27, 1974, at the Catholic Chapel at West Point Academy. John was a faithful member of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church. Following his retirement, he dedicated time to his passion for genealogical research and remained active in various organizations. As an organ transplant recipient, he was involved with Virginia’s Organ Procurement Agency, offering support through a group for others awaiting transplants. He was a world-renowned scholar on Willa Cather’s works and launched the Willa Cather Institute at Shenandoah University in 2001 to support the development of academic programs for students, public lectures and discussions devoted to Cather’s work. He was active in parent-teacher associations during all his children’s schooling years. He enjoyed bicycling, reading, and attending Winchester Royals baseball games.

John is survived by his wife, Joanne C. Jacobs, of Winchester; his daughter, Mara Jacobs Horner and her husband, Rusty, of Glen Allen, VA; his sons, John Lawrence Jacobs and his wife, Kerry, of Verona, NJ; and Michael Patrick Jacobs and his wife, Melanie, of Washington, DC. He is also survived by two grandchildren, John Louis Jacobs, and Lyra Jean Friedrichs Jacobs.

He was preceded in death by his brothers, Michael Joseph Jacobs, and Tobias J. Jacobs.

A visitation will be held on Friday, April 24, 2026, from 6pm to 8pm with the rosary being said at 7pm at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, April 25, 2026, at 12pm at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, followed by burial in Sacred Heart Cemetery and a luncheon reception.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Breakthrough T1D, the American Kidney Foundation, or Disabled American Veterans.