Shirley Mae (Brigham) Jacobson
Shirley Mae (Brigham) Jacobson, age 96, passed away in Missoula on July 12, 2022.
Shirley, the daughter of Ralph and Florence Brigham, was born in Sturgis, S.D. on June 23, 1926, the third of six children. She spent her childhood in the Black Hills of South Dakota. One summer her father was working on the Pigtail Bridges and the family lived in a tent on a knoll below Mount Rushmore where she watched as they were blasting for portions of the faces.
After graduating from Custer High School she attended Brookings State College and later, Blackhills State College in Spearfish where she met Lorin Jacobson. They were married for 58 wonderful years and raised four sons together.
In 1960 they moved from Deadwood, S.D., to Polson, where Lorin, along with a partner, purchased the Flathead Courier and the Ronan Pioneer. Shirley kept the books for the papers. Lorin and Shirley later purchased and worked at the A&W in Polson.
Family was Shirley’s first priority and she loved the many get togethers with the entire family. She enjoyed doing many types of crafts and really loved the drives around the beautiful Mission Valley that she and Lorin would take.
Shirley was very involved in the community where she volunteered with the Red Cross, The Country Store, Chamber of Commerce and Council for the Aging for many years. She loved gardening and founded the South Shore Garden Club. She was also a member of PEO and Priscilla Club. Many hours were spent with her friends and their many bridge clubs. Shirley was a member of the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and served on the church council and GSCW board
Shirley was preceded in death by husband Lorin and son Bradley. She is survived by her son Rod (Karen) and their three children, Jenna, Kelsey and Nick of Calgary, Alberta, son Jim (Margo) and their two children Joel (Heather) and Logan (Maddie) of Missoula, daughter-in-law Megan and her two children, John and Maria of Cowiche, WA and son Jeff of Missoula. She is also survived by two great grandchildren, Olivia and James of Missoula.
Memorials can be made in Shirley’s name to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research.
