Robert Jacob

August 4, 1929 - August 18, 2018

Robert “Bud” Jacob died peacefully at home on August 18th just after his 89th birthday. A San Francisco native, he was born August 4, 1929, to Pearl & Edwin Jacob. After attending Lowell High School, he received a Bachelor in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley. In the summer of 1956 he proposed to Lois Irene Checkers on the shore of Lake Tahoe. They married that November in her hometown of Chicago, Illinois.

He started his career in franchising at Midas Mufflers, helping the company become an industry leader. He later worked as VP of franchise sales at Arby’s, taking the Ohio restaurant chain nationwide. In 1967, he returned with his family to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he worked in real estate development. In the 1980’s Bud brought his franchise expertise to Gymboree Corporation, helping to establish the brand internationally.

Bud was active in the Jewish Community, serving as president of Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, CA. He was also an avid outdoorsman and adventurer, who traveled extensively. And later in life, he remained active as a business consultant and mentor to young entrepreneurs.

Bud Jacob is survived by his sons Michael (wife Denise Meier and daughter Liora) of Sebastopol, CA; Daniel (wife Michelle Sixta and daughter Emma) of Larkspur, CA; Stephen (wife Dagmar and daughter Marlene) of Berlin, Germany; daughter Elizabeth Wallace (husband Duncan Wallace and their children Maggie and Alexander) of Portland, OR; and his partner of the last 5 years, Diane Penn (daughter Amy Norman, son Nathan Penn).

The family suggests donations in Bud and Lois’s name to the “Alzheimer’s Association”, Northern California and Northern Nevada, 2290 N. First St., Suite 101, San Jose, CA, 95131.