Valorie Jacobson, of Sioux Falls, SD, passed away Saturday, August 30, 2025, at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls. Val was 82 years old.

Valorie Nadine (Barstad) Jacobson was born July 10, 1943, in Salt Lake City, UT, to Alice (Patrick) Barstad and Arnold Barstad. Raised in Webb, IA, along with her younger sister Cheri and younger brother, Loren, she attended Webb Consolidated School. Val graduated in May 1961 with numerous academic and extracurricular accomplishments, including being class valedictorian. Following high school, she moved to Sioux Falls, SD, to study to become a registered technician (RT) at the Sioux Valley Hospital School of X-Ray Technology.

In May 1963, while working as a registered technician at Sioux Valley Hospital, Val was introduced to her future husband, Ronald Jacobson, on a blind date orchestrated by one of her close friends. The couple became engaged in January 1964. And on June 5, 1965, they married at Concordia Lutheran Church in Webb, IA. They honeymooned at Yellowstone National Park. They settled in Sioux Falls, where Val continued her RT career, while Ron taught economics and served as an athletics trainer at Lincoln Senior High School. During the early years of their marriage, Ron and Val enjoyed taking numerous road trips across the country, attending game night or cocktail parties with their close friends, celebrating holidays, and enjoying countless Sunday family dinners in South Dakota and Iowa.

In 1971, the family moved to Bismarck, ND, where Val devoted her time to raising their firstborn son, Brad, while Ron worked for Jostens. Four years later, in 1975, after the birth of their youngest son, Matt, the family moved to Storm Lake, IA. The family enjoyed many happy years in a lakeshore house built by Val's father and brother. Val loved raising her two boys and made every day special. Val was also a consummate hostess, always welcoming out-of-state relatives to her home.

In 1985, the family moved to Sioux Falls, where Val resumed her career as an RT at Sioux Valley Hospital and was eventually promoted to daytime supervisor, a position she held until her retirement in 2013.

Valorie Jacobson was a loving mother and devoted wife whose warmth, humor, and steadfast support shaped the lives of everyone around her. She had a sharp wit and a soft spot for a good pun, always ready with a giggle. A true sports fan, she especially loved baseball, cheering on the Minnesota Twins and Chicago Cubs, and was a die-hard follower of college football and basketball, passionately supporting the Iowa Hawkeyes and Michigan Wolverines. March Madness was a sacred time, often marked by time off work, a carefully filled-out bracket, and hours glued to the TV. She was the first in the stands at Matt's Post 15 baseball games and the first to buy a ticket to one of Brad's theater performances, wholeheartedly embracing her children's passions and curiosity. Val was just as devoted to her grandchildren, celebrating every concert, game, graduation, and wedding with genuine pride and joy. Her love was unconditional, her patience unending, and her presence comforting. Always considerate of others, Val never forgot a birthday or anniversary and would always send a handwritten card. Humble and curious, she had a sharp memory. An avid devotee of Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune, Val had an uncanny knack for cracking the final puzzle with just a handful of letters on the board. Her talent didn't stop there. Val was also known for nailing "Final Jeopardy" questions that left others stumped. She was always eager to learn. Val never missed a Sunday morning phone call to her children, offering wisdom, calm, and kindness from the other end of the line. She had a beautiful singing voice, played piano gracefully, and made the best beef stew. She cherished Thanksgiving and had a sweet tooth for cherry pie, spritz cookies, mint chocolate chip ice cream, and popcorn. Her love of the CBS channel line-up was a comfort in her quiet moments. More than anything, Val was her children's greatest cheerleader, whether in the classroom, on the field, on stage, and in life. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered, always.

Grateful for having shared her life are her son, Brad Jacobson, and his husband, Stuart Loecker, of Roseville, MN; her son, Matt Jacobson, of Sioux Falls; her grandchildren, Joseph and Jack Jacobson of Sioux Falls, and Jasmine Doll (Nathan) of Chicago, IL; her sister-in-law, Janet Crist of Sioux Falls; her brother-in-law, David Jacobson of Sioux Falls; her nieces, Melissa Hein (David) and Cynthia Barstad of North Branch, MN, Julie Wagner (Al Wissink), Jodi Nord (Tom) of Sioux Falls, and Tonya Wagner of Spring, TX; her nephews, Terry Wagner (Cyndee) and Jeff Wagner (Merri), both of Sioux Falls, and Brett Crist (Mary) of Columbia, MO.

Val is preceded in death by her husband, Ron; her parents, Alice and Arnie; her sister, Cheri; and her brother, Loren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to either the American Cancer Society, https://donate.cancer.org/ or the American Diabetes Association, https://diabetes.org/

Visitation with the family present will be from 5 to 7 pm on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at Miller Funeral Home, 507 South Main Avenue with private interment at Woodlawn Cemetery.