Long Beach Camerata Singers honors Diane Jacobus, a devoted friend of the arts and a champion for the city she loved.

Diane Jacobus (right, striped blue shirt) with members of the "Posse," April 2017, Ethel Severson's house. Photo credit: Susan Redfield, former member of the "Posse."

By Julia Goldman

To friends, family and those familiar, Diane Jacobus is remembered for reading at least one book a day, for her love of community and her unwavering devotion to the city of Long Beach. A longtime public servant, Diane Jacobus served as Senior Adviser and Chief of Staff to former Mayor Beverly O'Neill, protocol officer for the Port of Long Beach and as a leader in numerous civic and community organizations. According to her daughter, Nancy Kimber, Jacobus was Long Beach's biggest cheerleader. "If you had to draw a picture of her, she would be holding an umbrella, and it would say Long Beach on the umbrella," Kimber said. "So, everything under that umbrella defined her and fueled her… every single thing that touched that city, she was bound and determined to make better." A California native born in Eureka in 1935, Jacobus' early life was shaped by the loss of her father, Ernest Marion Wade, a Navy doctor stationed in Shanghai before World War II. After military families were ordered to return to the United States, Wade remained in Asia and was captured by Japanese forces in the Philippines, and died on a prison ship when Diane was six. His loss left a lasting impression on Jacobus, who honored her father throughout her life. After returning to the United States, Jacobus grew up in Long Beach, graduated from Wilson High School and worked various jobs, from editorial work to opening her own bookstore for a time and working in dental-office management. While there, Jacobus met Kimber's father, Jim Searles, who was the office's family practitioner. Then, when Searles ran for Long Beach City Council, Jacobus ran his campaign, despite having no experience running a campaign before. Though Searles did not win, Beverly O'Neill was getting ready to run for her first term. O'Neill brought Jacobus on to run her campaign, and the two began a 12-year future in city hall where O'Neill became the first female mayor of Long Beach and won all three campaigns she ran. While serving with O'Neill, Kimber said the pair shared a deep bond, and that Jacobus worked largely behind the scenes, teaching herself international protocol to help guide O'Neill in global diplomatic affairs. "They were like one person, I think, but different," Kimber said. "They would just look at each other across the table, they didn't even need to speak… my mom didn't like to be in the front, but they loved each other." By the end of her time in City Hall, Kimber said Jacobus was an expert in international protocol, and she was recruited by the Port of Long Beach to work as its protocol and diplomacy officer until she retired in her early 70s. Throughout her life, Jacobus was involved in many community groups, including the Long Beach Public Library Foundation, Gold Star Manor and Long Beach Camerata Singers. One of her lasting influences, witnessed by friend and fellow "Posse" member Susan Redfield, was Jacobus' push for Family Learning Centers in public libraries, providing free spaces for homework help, computer access and community support. "She went out and asked these corporations, like Verizon, to give $50,000 each…. She was able to get that money, and those Family Learning Centers are there to this day," Redfield said, recalling that Jacobus would call her with excitement every time she secured financial donations for the centers. Throughout Camerata, Jacobus was a present advocate, supporter and friend to singers and community members. She loved Camerata, Redfield said, even recalling that Jacobus took her to her first Handel's Messiah concert. "I think she felt that the value of having a chorale group in Long Beach just made us a richer community," Redfield said. Camerata meets nearly every Tuesday of the season to rehearse at Gold Star Manor because of Jacobus, who introduced the two organizations. Jan Hower, Camerata's president since 2013, has called Jacobus an important mentor who introduced her around town and shared ideas for fundraising and approaching donors.

Diane Jacobus' Celebration of Life will be held on October 17, 2026 at Gold Star Manor from 1-3 p.m. The event is open to the public, and Kimber encourages anyone who knew Diane or wishes to honor her life and legacy to attend.