Vickie Sue Bowers Jacobs

Vickie Sue Bowers Jacobs died in Topeka on March 27, 2022, after a brief illness.

She was born June 14, 1947, in Fremont, Nebraska to Ray O. and Opal Williams Bowers.  She lived in Fremont until 1969, attending Fremont High School and Midland Lutheran College.  In 1969, she married Russell Jacobs, and they moved to Austin, Texas for graduate school at the University of Texas.  Vickie is survived by her husband of 53 years Russell, of Tecumseh, Kansas; her brother Bill Bowers and wife Midge of Omaha, Nebraska; and two nieces (Courtney Bowers and Anna Nuckels) and a nephew (Jordan Bowers.)

Vickie was a talented artist and an accomplished vocal and instrumental musician, and active in those arts in both high school and college.  She was also a ballet dancer, including a brief stint on the professional stage. With a bachelor’s degree in Art Education, she spent most of her professional career in Special Education in both Austin and Topeka, KS, where she moved in 1975 when Russell took a teaching job at Washburn University. 

She was a passionate and very successful hobby breeder of Basenji dogs, and she showed and groomed dogs professionally under the name Cynosure Kennels. She was particularly proud that most of her dogs had not only a conformation championship, but working titles as well. Indeed, a Basenji that she bred was recently inducted into the ASFA Lure Coursing Hall of Fame. She was a vital contributing member of numerous local, state and regional dog clubs, including the Lawrence Jayhawk Kennel Club, Heartland Coursing Association, the American Sighthound Field Association, and the Basenji Club of America.

In her later years, she learned the Chinese martial art Taiji Quan with Chang’s Tai Chi Club, and taught the art at Washburn University for 20 years.  She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Topeka, and served as Vice-President of the Church Council there.

Vickie was a good friend to many people in the Topeka and Lawrence area, and she will be greatly missed by her family and friends.    

 A memorial visitation will be held on Thursday, April 21st, from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m.  A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, April 22nd at 10:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church. A reception will follow her memorial service and will be held in the Lobby of the White Concert Hall on the campus of Washburn University. 

Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado or to the Vickie Jacobs Memorial Fund at Trinity Lutheran Church and sent in care of Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home, 800 SW 6th Ave., Topeka, Kansas  66603.

To share a memory or to leave condolences, please visit, www.brennanmathenafh.com.

Arrangements entrusted to Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home, 800 SW 6th Ave., Topeka, KS 66603.