Isabella "Bella" B. Jacke, was born at home in Flat Rock, Delta County, on August 27, 1910, and after a long and busy life, passed away at the age of 100 on Saturday January 29, 2011 at the Bishop Noa Home in Escanaba. She was the sixth of thirteen children born to Zenon and Rosanna (Miron) Chenier. She attended school at the little two-room school house in Flat Rock and later worked at St. Francis Hospital in Escanaba where she met her husband, Joseph Jacke. They were married on May 5, 1931 at St. Francis Hospital chapel. They celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1981 with their children, grandchildren and many relatives and friends. They enjoyed traveling and made several trips to Europe visiting Joseph's relatives. After 56 years of marriage, Joseph passed away on September 9, 1987.
Bella was a superb cook and cooked at St. Francis Hospital, St. Joseph Grade School and Holy Name High School. She was often asked to prepare banquets for special visitors. When the new Holy Name School (high school at that time) was built, she equipped the kitchen and cooked there for many years. She thoroughly enjoyed cooking and baking special treats for the students and faculty and was famous for her wonderful sweet rolls and homemade breads.
In her retirement years, she also enjoyed knitting and crocheting lap afghans, "for the old people" and hats and mittens "for the children", which she donated to the St. Vincent DePaul store.
She is survived by her three children, Joseph (Mary Leona ), Robert (Josee) and Mary (Curtis) Schwab, nine grandchildren , eleven great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents and her husband, Bella was also preceded in death by twelve brothers and sisters.
Friends may call from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday February 2, 2011 at Allo Coolman Funeral Home in Escanaba with Parish prayers at 7:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday February 3, 2011 at St. Joseph & St. Patrick's Parish with Fr. Rick Courier officiating. Burial will take place in the Holy Cross Cemetery in the spring.
