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In Memory of
Ralph Christian Tellef
Jacobson
Jacobson
1923 - 2016
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Obituary for Ralph Christian Tellef Jacobson
10 December 1923 – 7 August 2016
Ralph was born the youngest of three boys to Agnes and Helmer Jacobsen in Ferintosh, Alberta. Although raised during the depression years in Okotoks, his Christ-centred home focused on caring for others and extending hospitality. After completing Bible school, he took a year of training in tropical medicine and headed first to what is now Yemen, then to Ethiopia under SIM (originally Sudan Interior Mission).
He married Doris Bouck in Addis Ababa in 1950 and they served together for 15 years in the rural Kambatta area of Ethiopia where they helped establish the first public schools, promoted literacy, offered health care, nurtured the developing churches and established theological education. When they arrived, the community was dominated by the worship of evil spirits and servitude to the local witchdoctors. Women were considered of less value than cattle and treated accordingly; there was no formal education, no literacy; the slave trade was active; life expectancy was short. Today in that same area, lives have been transformed; the majority of people would call themselves Christians, churches flourish, health care is available, most children are in school, and many young people go on to university and then serve in professions in Ethiopia and around the world. More than 30 PhD's and MD'S have come from the small rural school he helped establish. Hundreds of churches in the Kambatta area continue to proclaim freedom through new life in Christ Jesus.
Ralph & Doris returned to Calgary in 1965, where Ralph continued to promote mission work in Africa. In the late 1970s he became involved in Christian radio ministries, eventually moving to the Vancouver area as president of Canadian Family Radio. He later served at Focus on the Family. Late in his 80s, he and Doris moved from North Vancouver to Elim Village in Surrey, where they lived in retirement for 4½ years.
Ralph was predeceased by his parents, his two brothers - James (and sister-in-law Ruth) and Herb – as well as his niece Patty. He leaves his wife of almost 66 years, Doris; his four children, Laura (Verdon) Toews, Tim (Lorna) Jacobson, Marilyn Jacobson and Ken (Joanne) Jacobson; 10 grandchildren – Chris (Heather) Toews, Tim (Rebecca) Toews, Terrilyn (Jeff) Adams, and Heather (Elias) Omer, Bethany Jacobson, Nathan (Allison) Jacobson, and Kendra, Matthew, Ethan & Aleah Jacobson – and 6 great-grandchildren – Bennett, Juliette, Caleb, Sophia, Scarlett and Isabella.
In addition to his family, Ralph’s legacy includes hundreds of spiritual children and thousands of spiritual grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Ethiopia. In Canada, he served as an elder in churches in Calgary, North and West Vancouver, and Burnaby where he made many friends, encouraged and mentored younger men and, together with Doris, led the New Horizons seniors’ group.
He will be remembered for his spiritual insight, wise counsel, visionary perspective, gentle spirit, and love of people. He was deeply loved and will be sadly missed. But we know he is now home with his Lord Jesus Christ.
Ralph’s funeral service will be Saturday, August 20 at 11am at Willingdon Church, 4812 Willingdon Avenue, Burnaby (near the corner of Willingdon Avenue and Moscrop).
Flowers are gratefully declined. Instead, those who wish may contribute to a project dear to Ralph’s heart, one he’d hoped to undertake himself in his later years: Researching, documenting and preserving the history of the church in Ethiopia and the legacy of missionaries. The resulting book is tentatively titled We Would See Jesus: Stories about the Growth of the Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church in Kambatta. For more information and to contribute, visit www.sim.ca/projects and search for project #509006 "Kambatta Church Growth Book".
You are invited to sign the book of condolence.
Ralph was born the youngest of three boys to Agnes and Helmer Jacobsen in Ferintosh, Alberta. Although raised during the depression years in Okotoks, his Christ-centred home focused on caring for others and extending hospitality. After completing Bible school, he took a year of training in tropical medicine and headed first to what is now Yemen, then to Ethiopia under SIM (originally Sudan Interior Mission).
He married Doris Bouck in Addis Ababa in 1950 and they served together for 15 years in the rural Kambatta area of Ethiopia where they helped establish the first public schools, promoted literacy, offered health care, nurtured the developing churches and established theological education. When they arrived, the community was dominated by the worship of evil spirits and servitude to the local witchdoctors. Women were considered of less value than cattle and treated accordingly; there was no formal education, no literacy; the slave trade was active; life expectancy was short. Today in that same area, lives have been transformed; the majority of people would call themselves Christians, churches flourish, health care is available, most children are in school, and many young people go on to university and then serve in professions in Ethiopia and around the world. More than 30 PhD's and MD'S have come from the small rural school he helped establish. Hundreds of churches in the Kambatta area continue to proclaim freedom through new life in Christ Jesus.
Ralph & Doris returned to Calgary in 1965, where Ralph continued to promote mission work in Africa. In the late 1970s he became involved in Christian radio ministries, eventually moving to the Vancouver area as president of Canadian Family Radio. He later served at Focus on the Family. Late in his 80s, he and Doris moved from North Vancouver to Elim Village in Surrey, where they lived in retirement for 4½ years.
Ralph was predeceased by his parents, his two brothers - James (and sister-in-law Ruth) and Herb – as well as his niece Patty. He leaves his wife of almost 66 years, Doris; his four children, Laura (Verdon) Toews, Tim (Lorna) Jacobson, Marilyn Jacobson and Ken (Joanne) Jacobson; 10 grandchildren – Chris (Heather) Toews, Tim (Rebecca) Toews, Terrilyn (Jeff) Adams, and Heather (Elias) Omer, Bethany Jacobson, Nathan (Allison) Jacobson, and Kendra, Matthew, Ethan & Aleah Jacobson – and 6 great-grandchildren – Bennett, Juliette, Caleb, Sophia, Scarlett and Isabella.
In addition to his family, Ralph’s legacy includes hundreds of spiritual children and thousands of spiritual grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Ethiopia. In Canada, he served as an elder in churches in Calgary, North and West Vancouver, and Burnaby where he made many friends, encouraged and mentored younger men and, together with Doris, led the New Horizons seniors’ group.
He will be remembered for his spiritual insight, wise counsel, visionary perspective, gentle spirit, and love of people. He was deeply loved and will be sadly missed. But we know he is now home with his Lord Jesus Christ.
Ralph’s funeral service will be Saturday, August 20 at 11am at Willingdon Church, 4812 Willingdon Avenue, Burnaby (near the corner of Willingdon Avenue and Moscrop).
Flowers are gratefully declined. Instead, those who wish may contribute to a project dear to Ralph’s heart, one he’d hoped to undertake himself in his later years: Researching, documenting and preserving the history of the church in Ethiopia and the legacy of missionaries. The resulting book is tentatively titled We Would See Jesus: Stories about the Growth of the Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church in Kambatta. For more information and to contribute, visit www.sim.ca/projects and search for project #509006 "Kambatta Church Growth Book".
You are invited to sign the book of condolence.
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