Norfolk —Retired Judge Marc Jacobson passed away on April 5, 2018.
Judge Jacobson was born in Waukegan, Ill, the son of Rabbi Solomon Joseph Jacobson and Rose Epstein Jacobson. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 60 years, Connie, and his children, Steven and his wife Dale Smith, his daughter Susan and her husband Gordon Coburn, his brothers Avram and Norman Jacobson and his four grandchildren, Alexander and Zachary Coburn and Joshua and Benjamin Jacobson. His sister Deborah Victorson predeceased him.
Judge Jacobson was a proud graduate of the University of Michigan, where he served on the student legislature and was past president of Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia Law School. He served as an enlisted man and as an officer in the United States Army ( Judge Advocate General Corps) Reserves.
After practicing law for 32 years, he was appointed a judge in the Norfolk General District Court from 1990 to 1995 and the Norfolk Circuit Court from 1995 to 2004, serving as Chief Judge from 2001 to 2003. Following his retirement in 2004, he was active as a Substitute Judge and arbitrator throughout eastern Virginia.
Prior to being appointed a judge, he served as a hearing officer for regulatory agencies of the Commonwealth of Virginia, as a commissioner in Chancery for the Circuit Court of the cities of Norfolk and Chesapeake, and as a panel trustee for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Norfolk Division. He was a trustee for the City of Norfolk Employees Retirement System. He was elected to be a fellow of the Virginia Law Foundation.
Judge Jacobson served as president of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and was a lifetime trustee of the Tidewater Jewish Foundation. He served as president of Temple Israel, and as president of Arnold Gamsey Lodge of B’nai B’rith. He was appointed by the Governor of Virginia as a member of the Virginia Israel Commission, and was honored as a recipient of the Brotherhood Award by the National Conference of Christians and Jews.
Judge Jacobson served on the Board of Visitors of Old Dominion University and as Rector of the Board of Visitors, and as a member of the board of trustees of the Chrysler Museum of Art. He was a trustee of the Virginia Symphony and a longtime supporter of the Virginia Arts Festival. He and his wife established an annual lectureship at the Institute for the Humanities at the University of Michigan, and he served as a member of the Board of Visitors of the Institute. Judge Jacobson and his wife provided for the welcome center at Old Dominion University as well as for the Athletic Academic Center. They also endowed a full scholarship for a woman basketball player. The Jacobsons established the annual Raoul Wallenberg Lecture as part of the President’s Lecture Series at Old Dominion University.
Judge Jacobson was a devoted husband, father, son, and brother. He maintained close connections with his Michigan fraternity brothers and his high school friends. For more than 50 years he loved meeting weekly with his Thursday night pals.
As a lawyer, judge, and close friend, he was an advisor and confidant to many, and will be sorely missed.
A funeral service was conducted at Temple Israel by Rabbi Michael Panitz. Burial was at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Memorial gifts may be made in Judge Marc Jacobson’s name to Temple Israel, 7255 Granby Street Norfolk, Va. 23505. H.D. Oliver Funeral Apartments Norfolk Chapel is handling arrangements.