CAPTAIN MELLENGER MAX JACOBY, 91, retired
airline pilot, died on Jan. 18, 2008 at Hilltop
Lakes, TX, with burial in the Wealthy Cemetery
near Normangee, TX.
He was born on May 2, 1916 in Leon Creek, TX,
to Max George and May Reeves Jacoby. As a youth
of fourteen during the early 1930s he worked for
a barnstormer and received his first airplane
ride in a Ford Tri-motor. At that moment, his
future career was decided, fixed and sealed---
FLYING!
Mellenger was in the Class of 1936 at Ranger High
School, Ranger, TX. He lettered four years, co-
captain for one year on the Ranger Bulldogs
football, basketball and track teams in the
Oilbelt District. He was a member of the 1934
Champion Bulldog team which played in the first
Sun Bowl at El Paso, TX.
He served four years in Texas National Guard, and
in the late thirties instructed flying and pioneered
government sponsored CPT (Civilian Pilot Training)
attached to the Ranger Junior and John Tarleton
Colleges. During WWII, he spent 4 years as Flight
Commander and Asst. Supervisor of Advanced Flight
Training in the RAF and Air Force Training Command.
After WWII, he served as charter member, in birthing
of "Essair Airlines-later renamed Pioneer Airlines"
headquarters in Houston and Dallas, Texas. The first
Local Service Scheduled Airline approved by the Civil
Aeronautics Board after the war. For ten years during
1945-1955 of their development, he served as Director
of Flight Operation and Chief Pilot, also of the merged
Continental-Pioneer Airlines.
During the Vietnam War in addition to International
operations in the Pacific, he spent 2 years in MAC
(Military Air Command with USAF rank of Lt. Col) as
service pilot hauling troops and cargo into Saigon,
Okinawa, Korea, Bangkok, Japan and other bases in
Vietnam, completed forty flights from bases in USA
into Saigon during that period. He retired after 34
years of service for Continental Airlines. He was a
past president of the Ranger Exes Association.
He married Imogene Stafford, also of the RHS Class of
1936, in Granbury in July of 1936 and they had two
sons. Later he married Mary Pearl Moffett and they
had two sons and two daughters. They were married
43 years and lived in Ranger for a time. After she
died of cancer, he married Mildred Houston in 1989.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Eddie
Jacoby (RHS-1957); sisters, Maxine Asher (RHS-1942),
Clara Mae Watson (RHS-1952), Claudine Dyer (RHS-1937);
and a brother, Douglas Jacoby (RHS-1949).
Mellenger is survived by his wife, Mildred Houston Jacoby
of Hilltop Lakes, TX; sons, Mac Jacoby (RHS-1960) of
Sachse, TX, Richard Jacoby of Torrance, CA, Robert Jacoby
of Cameron Park, CA, and two daughters; Susan Jacoby Coker
of Fort Worth, TX, and Debby Jacoby Price of Sugar Land,
TX; nine grandchildren, Michele Foust, Chandra Short,
Chelsea Presley, Dane Price, Courtney Price, Lynda Chapman,
Robbie Jacoby, Mary and Jason Jacoby; four great-grand-
children; one sister, LaVerne Jacoby (RHS-1940) of Hurst,
TX; and numerous nephews, nieces and friends.
WIFE: MILDRED HOUSTON JACOBY, 96, passed
away on Oct. 10, 2013. She was born on May 13, 1917 in
Reagan, TX. Burial was in the Wealthy Cemetery near
Normangee, TX.
DAUGHTER: SUSAN LYNN JACOBY COKER, 69, passed
away on Oct. 16, 2018, with burial in the Bluebonnet Hills
Memorial Park at Colleyville, TX.
She was born on Dec. 11, 1948 in Houston, TX to Mellenger
& Mary Jacoby. She spent her early years in Palos Verdes,
CA and resided in the DFW area from the mid 1970's until
present day. Susan will always be remembered as a loving
mother, wife, grandmother, and sister.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James Michael
Coker, parents, & a brother, Eddie Jacoby (RHS-1957).
Susan is survived by her daughters; Chandra Stienstra and
Chelsea Weatherford and husband, Ashley; grandchildren,
Devon Short, Damon Short, Denny Stienstra, Drake Snyder
and Darwin Stienstra; brothers, Mac Jacoby and wife,
Marie, Rick Jacoby and wife, Joan Brogdon, and Robert
Jacoby and wife, Beth; sister, Debby Price and husband
Pat; and many other extended family and friends.