Dr. Gwendolyn Susanne Jacobs

A Memorial Service for Dr. Gwendolyn Susanne Jacobs, 54, Shawnee, KS will be held at 1:00 PM, Thursday, January 15, 2026, at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence, KS. An Inurnment will immediately follow the service at Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Lawrence, KS. A Visitation is from 6:00 ~ 8:00 PM, Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence. Gwendolyn passed away January 8, 2026, at her residence in Shawnee, KS.

Gwendolyn was born on January 19, 1971, in Lawrence, KS, the daughter of Dennis and Judy (Bayless) Schrick. She graduated from Jefferson County North High School in 1989. She then attended Kansas State University, graduating in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in education. She received two master’s degrees from the University of Kansas and Baker University. In 2022, she received her Doctorate in Education from Kansas State University. She worked as an educator, administrator and director for over 25 years including time in both Kansas and Missouri school districts.

Her teaching career began in 1994 at the Basehor Linwood school district as a High School English Instructor. Her love for sports carried through into her first teaching experience where she was a Girls Basketball coach. In 1997, she left the Basehor Linwood School district and traveled west to work for the Auburn Washburn School District. After spending one year at Washburn Rural High School, she traveled back east to work as an Advanced Placement (AP) English instructor in the Shawnee Mission School District. From 1998 to 2005, she devoted herself to educating and guiding the next generation of Kansans at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. Sports and extracurricular activities continued to be a focus of her career. While at Shawnee Mission Northwest, she coached Girls Basketball, Debate and Forensics.

During her tenure at Shawnee Mission Northwest High, she gave birth and raised her first two children, Ethan and Aidan. She paused her career in 2005 to care for her family and prepare for the birth of her daughter, Saida. Raising her children and caring for her family became the focus for the next 6 years. She did everything she could to support her children in their lives; spending countless early mornings at the Field of Dreams, traveling across the state for baseball, and never missing a school performance. She made sure to be present for all her children’s activities and academic accomplishments.

Gwendolyn returned to work in 2011 with the Lawrence Virtual School District. She spent a year teaching English online before returning to in-person teaching in 2012 at Olathe North High School. From 2012 to 2019, she continued to educate young Kansans in English Composition and Pre-Advanced Placement English. Using her expertise in teaching and administrative affairs, Gwendolyn joined the Washington High School Administration as an Assistant Principal in 2019. During the 2019 school year, she gained invaluable skills that opened the door for a position at the school district level. In 2020, she joined the Wellsville School District as the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning. After spending three years in Wellsville, she moved to the Hickman Mills School District as the Director of Extended Learning.

Gwendolyn married Mark Jacobs on June 5, 1999, in Lawrence, KS, and he survives at home. They moved to Shawnee, KS in April of 2000 and continue to call Shawnee their home today. All three of their children, Ethan, Aidan and Saida, attended and graduated from Mill Valley High School. Gwendolyn enjoyed being active in all their activities including basketball, football, volleyball, and golf. She also enjoyed traveling with the family in Colorado, Florida, and Jamaica. She was a life-long learner and pushed her children to this same goal in life.

Other survivors include her children, Ethan Andrew Jacobs, Aidan Christoph Jacobs, and Saida Macbeth Jacobs; father, Dennis Schrick; mother, Judy Schrick; father-in-law, Ed Jacobs; brother, Aaron Schrick, sister, Stacey Beckner, and half brother, Matthew Schrick.

The family suggests sending memorials in Gwendolyn’s name to the Hickman Mills Education Foundation Home hickman-mills-educational-foundation.square.site