City Dedicates Pickleball Courts to Late Councilmember

On Tuesday, a ceremony was held to dedicate the newly renovated pickleball courts at Luther Burbank Park in honor of Daniel “Jake” Jacobson, a former member of the Mercer Island City Council who passed away in March. As part of the dedication, current Council members unveiled a permanent sign – with Jacobson’s picture and information about his life and contributions to the City – overlooking the courts, officially designating them the “Jake Jacobson Pickleball Courts.”

Jacobson was “a friend to many of us and a public servant who shaped Mercer Island in meaningful ways,” said Mayor Salim Nice in his remarks. “It is fitting that his name will live on in a place that brings people together, because that is what Jake did throughout his life.”

Among those who attended to pay tribute to Jacobson and his service to the community included members of the City Council, City staff, and friends of Jacobson.

Twice elected to the City Council, Jacobson served from 2019 to the time of his death. During his tenure, he worked tirelessly to advance critical infrastructure, restore community events, shape local policy, support local businesses, and strengthen connections across the community.

“Jake lived his service with enthusiasm, curiosity, humor, and a genuine desire to lift others up,” Nice said.

A 35-year resident of Mercer Island, Jacobson was raised in the Bay area of California who attended Princeton University and served as an officer in the U.S. Navy, including tours of duty in the Caribbean and in Vietnam during the war, where he was wounded and received a Purple Heart. He eventually returned to duty as commanding officer of the U.S.S. Umpqua and held the distinction of the youngest and most junior commanding officer in the U.S. Navy at that time.

After leaving the military, he earned a law degree from Stanford Law School. He began his legal career working in private practice before shifting to business, where he served as a vice president of a construction firm.

“These courts honor the spirit he brought to every part of this community, a spirit of kindness, dedication, and connection,” Salim said.