Dr. Robert E. Jacoby II, 74, of Topeka, passed away Thursday, June 4, 2020.

The friends and acquaintances of the Jacoby family are respectfully invited to attend the memorial service for Dr. Robert “Bob” Jacoby to be held online at https://www.fpctopeka.org/worship/live-worship/, on August 8, 2020 at 2:00pm. Due to social distancing constraints, in-person attendance will be limited to family only.

He was born March 4, 1946 in Du Quoin, Illinois, the son of Robert and Melba (Scherle) Jacoby. He graduated from Topeka West High School as co-valedictorian in 1964. In 1962, he was selected as one of two students from each state to attend a three-week educational tour in West Virginia encouraging students into the field of science. While there, it was his privilege to meet the first astronauts. He also was selected as Kansas’ most outstanding student in the field of mathematics. Bob attended KU on a Summerfield Scholarship and graduated summa cum laude in 1968 with a major in chemistry and a minor in music. He graduated from Johns Hopkins University medical school in 1972 and completed his residency in family practice at the KU School of Medicine in 1975.

Bob practiced medicine in Topeka for 36 years, from 1975 until retiring in 2012, having been called the “patriarch and physician leader” of family physicians in the area. He was founder and senior partner in Family Practice, PA from 1975 to 1990. In 1990, Bob was instrumental in merging that practice with an internal medical practice to form the Cotton-O’Neil Clinic. In 2011, Bob was named Kansas Family Physician of the Year by the Kansas Academy of Family Physicians. Bob delivered more than 2,700 babies in his career (he would correct this by saying their mothers delivered them) and loved to collect photos of every one of them.

He was a member of the active staff at St. Francis Health Center and Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center since 1975, and the courtesy staff at Kansas Rehabilitation Hospital since 1968. He was also medical director at Eventide Convalescent Center for 21 years. He was a member of numerous professional organizations. Bob retired from active practice in June 2012, serving as a family medicine and obstetric physician. His wife, Anita, a certified Advanced Practiced Registered Nurse Practitioner, worked alongside Bob from 1997 to 2012 when they retired together. After retiring, he continued working part time for the Shawnee County Health Agency and was a volunteer at the Marian Clinic.

Bob Jacoby was a man of many gifts and talents. He used his time well and returned those gifts many times over. He will be known for his loving spirit. He had a love for geography and maps and could tell you anything you'd like to know about parks and rivers throughout the United States. Most everyone knew of his love for music. Bob loved to play the organ and was organist at Central Presbyterian Church in Topeka, Seventh Baptist Church in Baltimore (while in medical school), and since 1975 assistant organist at First Presbyterian Church in Topeka. He enjoyed substituting at many different churches, played for numerous weddings and funerals and freely shared his talents with numerous retirement centers.

As an active member of First Presbyterian Church, Bob loved singing in the choir and served as a Deacon, Session Member, and on the Pastoral Search Committee. A weekly meeting of a men’s Bible Study was important and fun for him, even on Zoom.

Some of his life-long hobbies included collecting stamps from all over the world, crossword puzzles, playing cards and games with friends and family, and collecting model trains that he worked on in his basement. He and his wife loved to travel and were always on a new adventure. He was also a member of the Topeka Rotary Club, Athletic Club, and was on a water volleyball team at the YWCA. Bob was truly a family man. He was always there to help anyone in his family and was dearly loved by many.

“Practicing Family Medicine has been my life’s work. It means joining the knowledge of biology and chemistry and psychology to the practice of caring, kindness and compassion, and allows me to 'do unto others as I would have them do unto me.' I cannot perceive any other life’s work so desirable or appropriate for me, and to be able to practice for 36 years has been a great gift to me.” - Robert E Jacoby II, M.D., F.A.A.F.P.

Well done, good and faithful servant.

Bob married Anita Holder (Kirkpatrick) on September 13, 1980 in Topeka, KS; she survives. Other survivors include his sons; Robert E. Jacoby, III, Daniel Allan Jacoby, Robert Shaun (Tracy) Kirkpatrick, and Jeffery Ray Kirkpatrick; his mother Melba Jacoby; sister Joyce Cobb; brother David (Sue) Jacoby; sisters-in-law Madonna Gibson and Jeanie Reiman (Jerry) and brother-in-law Kenneth Holder (Mary); grandchildren ReAnne Kirkpatrick, Christopher Shaun Kirkpatrick, Briar Kirkpatrick, and Brandon Hogue; great-grandchildren, Destiny, Faith, and Sylvia; and many nieces and nephews; nephews, Bryan Cobb (Kristin) and John Jacoby (Kolbie) and nieces, Reagan Cobb and Brianna Ford (Travis) and aunt Margaret Josephson. He was preceded in death by his father Robert E. Jacoby, and brother-in-law Gordon Gibson.


Memorial contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church 817 SW Harrison St. Topeka, KS 66612; (please list Music Fund in the memo line).

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