Joan Jacobs, Wife of Qualcomm Founder, Grandmother of Congresswoman, Dead at 91

Joan Jacobs, a San Diego community leader who along with her husband, Irwin, made transformational philanthropic gifts to many local arts organizations, died early Tuesday at the age of 91 .

Her granddaughter, Rep. Sara Jacobs, confirmed her passing. The cause was heart failure from the cardiac amyloidosis she was diagnosed with in 2019.

“I am who I am because I am her granddaughter,” said Sara in a statement. “She showed me that I could be feminine and win an argument, I could be a wife and mother and grandmother and also a leader, and I could chart my own path in life while still remembering and giving back to my community.”

The former Joan Klein grew up in New York City and attended Cornell University, where she met her future husband. The couple moved to San Diego in 1966 when Irwin accepted a offer to build the electrical engineering department at the new UC San Diego.

Irwin went on to start Qualcomm, creating a fortune which the couple used to support art institutions throughout the community, including a $120 million grant to the once-bankrupt San Diego Symphony.

Other recipients of the couple’s largess are the La Jolla Playhouse, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, Salk Institute and Jacobs School of Engineering at UCSD.

Joan has been recognized with the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy and the Helen Bull Vandervort Alumni Achievement Award from her alma mater Cornell.

“Few people have had a more profound impact on San Diego than Joan Jacobs,” said Mayor Todd Gloria on Tuesday “She was an ardent supporter of ensuring access to arts, education, top-quality medical care and so much more to enrich people’s lives.

“San Diego mourns her passing and will be forever grateful for her generosity, vision, and commitment to making our city a better place for all,” the mayor said.

Survivors include her husband; sons Gary Jacobs, Hal Jacobs, Paul Jacobs and Jeff Jacobs; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A public celebration of life for Joan will be held on Monday at 11 a.m. at the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park.