Helene "Binkie" Jacoby

Helene Jacoby, more commonly known as "Binkie", died peacefully at her home on August 20, 2024 with her daughters by her side. She was born September 13, 1926, in Escondido, California. After graduating from high school, she enrolled at the University of California at Berkeley, California. After graduating from U.C. in 1947, she pursued a career in merchandising for 11 years as a department store buyer in San Francisco.

In 1958 she married Robert “Bob” Jacoby. Bob was a widower with two young children, John William and Mary Martha. Their marriage added three more children: Joe, Bernie, and Helene.

Binkie became a convert to Catholicism and deeply loved the Church. Both she and Bob were active members of St. Mark's Catholic Church since 1970 when it first became a parish in the Diocese of Boise.

In 1975 she and Bob sponsored two Vietnamese families after the fall of Saigon. Binkie continued to reach out and support Vietnamese families after Bob's death, and she dearly loved all of them. They were family to her.

In 1980, 10 years after the tragic death of John William, Bob and Binkie helped co-found the Boise Chapter of The Compassionate Friends, a support group for parents who have lost children. Binkie and Bob were the recipients of the Jefferson Award in 1984, recognizing their work with The Compassionate Friends. Then, in 2011, Binkie was honored by the Boise State Women's Center as a 'Woman Making History in Idaho' for her past association with The Compassionate Friends and her involvement with the Vietnamese Community.

After Bob was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 1975, Binkie was employed by the law firm of Risch, Goss and Insinger for 21 years, retiring in 1996.

Binkie forged many lifetime friendships. She was an active and devout member of St. Mark’s Catholic Church and enjoyed participating in every aspect of church service. An accomplished seamstress, Binkie sewed the alter cloths and vestments during the early days of St. Mark’s. She loved spending time outdoors and playing bridge. She was highly regarded by all who knew her and was known for her humor, compassion, and wisdom.