Longtime Swimming World employee Judy Jacob, 62, died May 30 from gall bladder and liver cancer.
Beginning as a circulation assistant in 1974, she had been involved in nearly every aspect of the magazine—circulation, editorial and production—as well as writing stories for the website.
After a short break to work for a medical billing company from 1979 to 1981, she returned to the magazine in 1982 and was with the company nearly 36-1/2 years.
She grew up in the Los Angeles airport area, graduating from Westchester High School in 1969. She was an accomplished flutist and pianist, and she enjoyed playing the flute in the Westchester Youth Band, various marching bands, orchestras and small ensemble groups as well as playing in church productions.
After high school, she received an associate’s degree from West Los Angeles College in 1971 and a bachelor’s in history from UCLA in 1973.
Judy moved to Flagstaff, Ariz. when Swimming World relocated from Pasadena, Calif., to Sedona, Ariz. in August 1994. Since then, she worked with children as a group leader for AWANA at Calvary Bible Church and Mountain View Baptist Church in Flagstaff. In 1996, she found a home at Flagstaff Christian Fellowship, where she worshipped over the past 18 years.
She taught first- and second-graders in Sunday School, attended many women’s retreats and Bible study groups, and also played flute with her church’s worship team. Judy was also a long-time speaker at Flagstaff’s Hope Cottage women’s shelter.
During the summers of 2009-11 and 2013, she participated in short-term mission trips to Poland, where she worked at church camps with children and high school girls and also taught English to many of the adults.
Judy is survived by her brother, John Jacob, and wife, Colleen, of Aliso Viejo, Calif.; brother, Jerry Jacob, and wife, Susan, of Los Angeles; and many nieces, nephews and other relatives. She was preceded in death by her parents, Victor and Ethel Jacob.
Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Arizona time, June 10, at Flagstaff Christian Fellowship, 123 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ 86001. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Judy’s beloved mission, Flagstaff Christian Fellowship to the Polish Mission Fund (same address as above; 928-774-3603).