Jacob Jan Schot

Jake

September 6 ^th , 1948 – October 27 ^th 2018

Papa, now you're gone

Leaving behind

The memory of your smile

That will never leave our minds

Jake was born on September 6th 1948 on a farm in Jisp, the Netherlands. In conversations it was always a little vague if farming was what he always wanted to do or if it was something he pursued because it was expected. Whatever it was he was good at it! Before and after school he worked on the home farm. After marrying Rita he rented a farm, leased a few cows and started on his own. He was too progressive to stick to the "tie stall barn system" for long. In between running the farm and starting a family he built his own freestall barn with milk parlor with the help of family and a neighbor. But he wanted more, greener pastures were everywhere around. They looked at different European countries, other provinces in Holland and Canada. In 1983 he got the opportunity to lease land in Flevoland, a completely new province in Holland which was created by draining a large lake to create farm land. In fall of 1984, after a horrendous year of trying to built a dairy from scratch at a distance while running the home farm, he moved to Zeewolde. Life was good. Jake joined several committees, started a company with 2 fellow farmers to buy and sell Holstein embryos and the home farm flourished. But by late 90's he got a little antsy again. Arno and Lisa were thinking about emigrating. Ard and Monique were considering moving over the border too. We started looking in Canada to move as a family. In the end we ended up in Michigan in fall of 98. A stressful year started again, language, building a new farm, too many captains on the ship, how are we going to keep the family together? His whole world was turned upside down. He managed, his first grandson was born and helped as an ointment to continue talking even though he was mad as a hornet sometimes. The family farm in Michigan broke up but we didn't split up as a family. In 2008 he decided to take a step back and retire in his way to North Carolina. He bought some land and a house in Thurmond and got himself a herd of Boer goats. First season was tough but he learned quick, the herd thrived and Judy and Jenny (the 2 draft horses) loved roaming a pasture in the mountains. He settled in for a more peaceful live. More time for vacations, concerts, opera, volunteering for the church. In the mean time he couldn't go without the stress of dairy life either. He came by several days a week to fix anything at Koopman dairies and always looked forward to harvest time at New Flevo dairy, where he would spend long days hauling silage. Although farming was a huge part of his life it was not his only life. He loved spending time with his grandchildren. Whether that was by tying a sled to the lawnmower to make donuts on the lawn or putting the horses in front of the cart to drive the family around. At the end of the day he fired up the bbq to grill steaks for everybody. For him nobody was a stranger. He could start a conversation with anybody about anything. He was a ferocious reader and always up to date about the latest news, whether local or global. He summarized that for us while thinking 'why don't you know that?'

He was awesome with woodwork, concrete, welding, you name it, and if a scrape tractor broke down for the umpteenth time he was the first one to crawl under it. In October of last year Jake was diagnosed with brain cancer. In the course of a year he had to give up everything he loved to do. He fought like a lion and went through chemo, radiation, laser surgery and a full operation to remove mass. He spend multiple times in the hospital after seizures. He got through every time but left a little of himself behind after every episode. This last time he had nothing left to give....his battle was over.Jake was preceded in death by our mom Rita 15 days before.

We are going to miss you papa.

In lieu of flowers we suggest making a donation to brain cancer research or any other cancer research that has a special meaning to you.

We will have a memorial service for him on Friday November 2 ^nd at 2:30 PM in the First United Methodist Church, Elkin, NC. A reception will follow after the service.

Ard, Monique, Jason, Brandon and Jessica Koopman

Arno, Lisa, Carmen and Jordan Schot.

Online condolences may be made at www.jkennedyfsl.com

John Kennedy, funeral director is assisting the Schot  family.