Ila Jacobs, 86 of Manteca passed away peacefully at Bethany Home in Ripon on Saturday, July 20, 2013.  Ila was born on September 19, 1926 to Irvin and Clara Wixcel in Centerville, South Dakota.  She attended Turlock High School where she met the love of her life, Joe Jacobs.  They were married in March of 1948 after his service in the U.S. Army Air Corps.  They made Manteca their home in 1952 where her husband Joe coached and taught at Manteca High School.  After college, Ila also taught in the Manteca Unified School District. Ila had many passions in life.  One of them was quilting.  She was a founding charter member of the Manteca Quilt Club.  She shared her love of quilting with her niece Nikki Jacobs.  She quilted over 60 amazing hand-stitched quilts that she left as part of her legacy.  Her imagination and creativity was boundless as reflected in her cooking, gardening and writing abilities.  She also had a deep appreciation for nature and her animals. Ila also loved reading and researching and had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, but her wisdom was what was so valuable. 
She was an advocate for those less fortunate and her heart would soar with happiness when she would meet a kindred spirit who felt the same.  She remained very close with her Turlock High School class of 1944; having monthly reunion lunches.  Ila had a deep gratitude for the friendships they shared for many years. Ila was extremely fun, full of life and loved to laugh.  She was a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother bringing joy and adventure into the lives of all of those around her.  She was truly a happy person who lived life to the fullest with graciousness and an abundance of generosity. Her greatest joy was her wealth of love she had for her family.  She had three children, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.  She is survived by her husband Joe of 65 years and their three children Mike Jacobs and his daughters Sara Geer, her husband Jason and their two children, Brody and Brooke and daughter Elle Jacobs of Manteca, CA.  Joey Jacobs, his wife Delena and their two children Adam Jacobs of San Francisco, CA and Andrea Jacobs of Manteca, CA.   Their daughter, Karen Stone and her husband Jeff and their children, Julia, JJ and Gracie of Santa Barbara, CA.  She is also survived by her sister, Bonnie Blickenstaff of Elk Grove.
Ila’s faith was in her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ where she said her, “Hope was Eternal”. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 pm on Wednesday, July 24th at Turlock Funeral Home, 425 N. Soderquist Rd. in Turlock.  A funeral service will be held at 11 am on Thursday, July 25, 2013 at Turlock Funeral Home.