Jacobson's 80th birthday

NEW BEDFORD — In recognition of her 80th birthday, the children of Joyce Jacobson will host a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. June 27 at the New Bedford Church hall.

Joyce was born on a farm in rural Tampico, Fairfield Township, about three miles west of New Bedford, the youngest daughter of Frank and Gertie Lindelof. Her four siblings, now deceased, were brothers Leo and Gene Lindelof and sisters Dorothy (John) Becker and Rubye (Lawrence) Dale.

As a child growing up on a farm in rural Bureau County, Joyce would often pitch in and drive the tractor while her dad and brothers loaded the bales of hay. She attended the one-room Whittington School, just north of her home, and began her freshman year at Tampico High School. When bus service became available to Manlius High School, she transferred to Manlius High School and graduated. In 1947, she entered Eureka College but had to leave after her freshman year to help take care of her ailing father. Even so, during the short time she was at Eureka, she scored 18 points for the girls’ basketball team. While caring for her father, her brother Gene brought home a friend named Chuck Jacobson from New Bedford. Chuck asked Joyce out to a movie, and the rest is history. They were married in 1950, and their marriage lasted 58 years until he died in 2008.

Chuck had farmed, worked at BarCol Overdoor in Sheffield and finished his career at Northwestern Steel and Wire, while Joyce held jobs at Bollman Oil and Kraft Foods in Manlius and Harper Wyman in Princeton. In later years, both Chuck and Joyce were corn sorters at Wyffels Hybrids in Atkinson. They both also served for years as weather watchers for WQAD television.

Chuck was chief executive officer and Joyce has served as the head cook of the New Bedford Deer Hunters Association since it was formed in the mid-1970s. She has been a member of the New Bedford Church since the mid-1960s.

The couple have four children, Bruce, Jerry, Julie and Chris, and 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

The family request that gifts be omitted. Cards may be sent to Joyce at: 110 Gold St., New Bedford, IL 61346.