JACOBS, ROMER, ALLEN

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Sunday, June 25, 2006 at 06:25:14 :

San Francisco Chronicle
Friday, Nov. 8, 2002
Section A, page 26

Sam Jacobs, who served more than 50 years as the secretary-treasurer of a San Francisco newspaper union, died early Wednesday at a Marin hospital following heart problems. He was 82.

A native of San Francisco, Mr. Jacobs dropped out of Polytechnic High School in his sophomore year to work as a newspaper vendor, selling the San Francisco Examiner, which cost 3 cents per copy at the time. He also worked as a cable car boot jack before working full time as a newspaper vendor.

In 1939, he joined Local 468 of the newspaper and periodical vendors union and served as the unpaid secretary-treasurer.

During the 1940s, Mr. Jacobs also formed the concession and program employees union, a branch of Local 468 which represented food concession vendors.

In the late 1940s, he became a full-time employee of the union as its secretary-treasurer. As a top official with the vendors union, Mr. Jacobs helped direct the work of more than 300 newspaper vendors throughout the city. He continued in his position until he retired in 1991.

"He was dedicated," said his brother David Jacobs of Sonoma. "He liked the people that he worked with, the common people, the working people."

Mr. Jacobs, who moved from San Francisco to San Rafael in 1963, was generally a quiet man who took care of the workers in his union. He would often lend money to employees, even if he wasn't sure if the money would ever be repaid.

"Sam didn't care, he just had a good heart," said Paul Saroff, a fellow union worker. "He would just say, 'When you get it, pay me back if you can,' but a lot of times he didn't get paid back."

He also was a shrewd gambler who won more than he lost, said his brother. Mr. Jacobs was a fixture at the horse track and the Oaks Card Club in Emeryville, where he played pan, an Asian card game.

Mr. Jacobs was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth.

Besides his brother, he is survived by nieces Dale Romer of Novato and Francine Allen of Inverness; and nephew Ron Jacobs of San Rafael.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. For additional information,
contact David Jacobs at (888) 595-7551.