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Anna's obituary

Anna Leigh Jacobson was born on April 15, 1993 to Leigh McRae and Matt Swan. She was soon adopted by Dean and Janet Jacobson and joined their loving home alongside her siblings Mollie, Simon, Caitlin, and Sam. Though Sam passed away soon after due to a degenerative brain disease, Anna’s early years were filled with love, play, and curiosity. She loved animals of all kinds, always preferring her toy animals to dolls. She also loved weekly trips to the library in the summer, walking to the swimming pool, nurturing pets, and having dessert at any time she could. Tragedy struck early when Anna lost both Janet and Leigh in 2003, within just a few months of each other. It was a difficult adjustment for Anna, and things were never quite the same for her. She entered middle school, and though she had a few close friends, she often struggled to feel like she belonged. Over time, she turned to alcohol and eventually drugs as a way to escape the pain she carried. Anna struggled with this for many years. In 2011 she gave birth to a baby boy who she loved very much. For a while, she and Thomas were able to parent him together with the support from family. After Thomas’s incarceration, Anna made the decision to move to Portland to live with Caitlin and Zyan. She worked hard for a new start, and for a time, it seemed within reach. But when the demands of motherhood and supporting herself became overwhelming, Anna gave Caitlin and Zyan full custody of Felix, always wanting what was best for him, even if she couldn’t provide it herself. Anna later moved to Los Angeles, where much of her life became more distant to those who loved her. Her time there was marked by ongoing struggles with addiction and homelessness, with the exception of one bright ray of sunshine: a beautiful baby girl, Matilda Rose. Anna showed her love for her baby girl by letting Mollie and Simen adopt Matilda in 2021. On March 10, 2025, Anna passed away in a train accident in Lake Balboa, California, while under the influence. But Anna was more than her struggle. She was a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, a mother, an aunt, a niece, and a friend. She was funny and tender-hearted. She could be stubborn and sweet, and sometimes just ridiculous. But she tried- again and again- to find her way. So we remember her for the goodness she brought to our lives, the laughter she sparked, and the love she gave. 

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Anna Jacobson