Jacob Hamblin

Jacob Richard Hamblin

September 21, 1932 ~ March 15, 2021

The man, the myth, the legend. Big Jake is now eternally eating Fisherman’s Wharf carmel corn in peace, hopefully surrounded by a clan of Hamblins, telling his infamous stories. Jacob Richard Hamblin, 88, passed away on March 15, 2021, of natural causes at Highland Glen in Highland, Utah. The youngest of four siblings, sisters, Genevieve Hamblin Blazzard and Norma Hamblin Kauffman and Dr. Wayne Hamblin.

He was born in St. Johns, Arizona on September 21, 1932 to William Stanton Hamblin and Agnes Brown Hamblin. Dr. Jacob Hamblin attended BYU, where he met his wife of 65 years, Joan Seymour, and then attended Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas, Texas where he earned his D.D.S. degree.

Dr. Hamblin served as a captain in the United States Air Force in Houston, Texas. He always claimed to have grown up on a horse in his small town of St. Johns, and he loved the outdoors, hunting and fishing for years in Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, and California. He witnessed the first atomic bomb blast from his father’s farm in Eastern Arizona; the two of them were irrigating at 5:30 a.m. on that fateful day in July 1945. “It’s the end of the world,” his dad said. Jake, as he was known, was active in high school championship basketball team, on the football team and in the school band and chorus.

After graduating from Brigham Young University, he attended Baylor College of Dentistry, and then joined the Air Force.

After serving in the USAF, he and his wife settled in Hayward, California where he set up a dental practice and where he was active in the Kiwanis Club for the 19 years they lived there, before moving to Danville where they lived for 37 years. He started a second practice in Danville, CA. For many years, he was a Scoutmaster in Hayward and in Danville and was much beloved by the boys he led.

A highlight of his life was his 18-month mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Central America, where he and his wife, Joan, served as humanitarian missionaries. They did many, 80 plus, projects and drove about 30,000 miles in the 18 months to the countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Belize, and Hondorus. Grandchildren grew up with homes bursting with cousins and laughter, walks to the beach, stories around the campfire, Costco poppyseed muffins, putting on nativity skits, and July 4th celebrations where the Jacuzzi magically filled with bubbles after their grandpa put in dish detergent. Jacob worked hard to provide for incredible family, filled with love for children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

He was the cherished husband of Joan Seymour Hamblin; beloved father of Dr. J. Scott Hamblin, Alpine, UT, Rochelle Baxley of Byron, CA, Richard C Hamblin of Fruit Heights, Utah, Jon Hamblin of Brentwood, CA, Jeff Hamblin of South Jordan, UT, and Janee Wilbanks of Danville, CA; sons-in-law, Silas Baxley and Adam Wilbanks; daughters-in-law, Linda Hamblin, Suzanne Hamblin and Jodelle Hamblin will miss him greatly. His 22 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren will miss his playing dominoes with him or miss his fast-hand games. His 33 surviving nieces and nephews also have many memories of their Uncle Jake.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 27, 2021 at 11 a.m. at the American Fork 19th Ward, 1305 North 100 East, American Fork, UT 84003. Interment, Utah Veterans Memorial Park, Bluffdale, UT.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Jacob Hamblin legacy organization at JacobHamblin.org