Birth date: Aug 8, 1971 Death date: Jan 17, 2026
Jacob Thomas Willging, 54, of Oakland passed away peacefully at his residence on January 17, 2026. He was born in Toledo, Ohio on August 8, 1971. Jacob graduated from Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, Maryland where he play Read Obituary
My memories of Jake are not so much of a particular moment, but more of a mood. I spent a lot of time with Jake and his family when Jake and I were both children and I remember him as joyful and playful. As he matured he became more introverted but you could uncover his playfulness in conversations about sports and recalling earlier days. I greatly appreciate that Jake was willing to stretch beyond his comfort to attend significant events in my life. I miss him.
I worked with Jacob for the last 7 years. He was always so upbeat, lighthearted and kind. We had sporadic conversations, but mostly it was a walk-by, and a “what up dooooode!” I was always entertained by his Hawaiian shirts, and his carefree attitude about politics and other things that were going awry. He had strong stances, but always kept a “whatever” attitude. It’s weird and sad to not see him daily, filling the drink case…just doing his thing. He definitely left a void. I’m sorry for his family’s loss, and even more sad about his beloved dog’s loss.
Jake was such a great guy. He was full of warmth, smiles, and so much fun. I was lucky enough to meet him through work at TJs and become friends outside of that. He was such a joyful soul, and his presence is already so missed.
Jake was my cousin and we were the same age. While we didn’t communicate often, our limited email exchanges meant so much to me. In December 2017 when my mom unexpectedly passed away, he emailed me on December 22, “Love, Love, Love-give yourself a big hug from me…” and later when the Nats won the World Series in 2019, another simple exchange, “Yay! We won! YAY! XOXOXO”. On my limited visits to Oakland he always took the time to hang out with me and in 2012, when he unexpectedly showed up in Chicago for my sister Maria’s wedding, my siblings and I were thrilled to see him and shared so many laughs together. He was truly special and I will miss him greatly.
Jacob was such a sweet, fun, caring, kind hearted, corky character. It was always such a pleasure getting to see him in his colorful shirts. He would always brighten my day and i sure appreciated our goofy exchanges. I think its a definate fact that anyone who loves their pet the way he loved his Harper has a precious heart. He is very missed. Sending love to all of his family and friends. <3
Jacob and Harper were a part of my life for almost ten years, as my across-the-hall-neighbors. Their shared delight with each other, their walks and fun adventures in the neighborhood, still echo inside me, with joy and sorrow.
