Jobie Joyce Pool

Jobie Siegel Pool passed away peacefully at home on March 10, 2023 after an extended illness and complications from pneumonia leading to kidney failure.

Jobie was the second child born to Wayne and Joyce Siegel in Kalamazoo, Michigan on February 2,1955. Her formative years were spent growing up in Kalamazoo with her older brother Michael and younger sister Amy. A creative and loving child, some early hallmarks were creating a “secret” language with her older brother, doting on her younger baby sister and developing into a fearless high board swimming diver. Jobie made lifelong friends there before the family moved during her teen years to Tustin, California where she attended and graduated from Tustin High School in 1973. She always retained a strong fondness for her hometown of Kalamazoo.

Relocating to Arlington, Texas afterwards Jobie quickly socialized and made a new circle of friends. She attended and studied at the University of Texas. Deciding to enter the workforce, Jobie gained employment at Alcon Laboratories as a secretary, working there for many years and forming close and lasting relationships with many of her co-workers.

Upon reconnecting with an old friend romance blossomed and Jobie fell in love with Chris Pool. Together they sowed more than a few wild oats and with both having strong personalities their dating period was volatile to the extent that some mutual acquaintances placed bets on how long their relationship might last. But Chris and Jobie were soulmates and destined to be together. After what seemed (at least to her mother!) like an overlong courtship they were married on March 18,1989. They welcomed the birth of their only child Christopher Matthew Pool Jr. at the end of 1989. He was the apple of their eyes and the focus of their enriched lives.

Over the course of the following decades Jobie was a devoted mother who participated in Matt’s interests and activities with great relish as he moved through school and sports. From supporting his mathematical competitions to bowling tournaments and orchestra performances she was front and center. Jobie loved being the hostess to sizable gatherings of Matt’s wide group of friends and classmates at her house for video games, movies and sleepovers. She took extra delight in all of their activities, personalities and achievements. She was extremely proud when Matt graduated 7th in his high school class and earned a scholarship to his preferred college, the University of Texas at Austin, where he graduated as a civil engineer with honors.

All the while Jobie was a loving, caring wife supporting her husband in his career and joining him in their shared love of music and movies and entertaining family and friends. They loved enjoying concerts and theatrical performances together. Jobie passionately loved two television series- Everybody Loves Raymond and Friends- and it’s possible she holds the record for her number of viewings. Lest we forget she was also an avid follower of The Young and The Restless and the adventures of The Bold and The Beautiful!

When Chris and Jobie purchased their first house in 1997 she assumed the active role of decorator/designer and created a true home where everyone was welcome and made to feel comfortable. Her talents as an old school cook, taught and passed down from her mother, were exhibited regularly in her kitchen where she could be more than a little territorial. From Thanksgiving feasts to chicken fried steak and family favorites such as chicken divan, breakfast casserole and her oft requested potato salad and special Rotel cheese dip she could make it all. Mention must be made of her $100 dinner salad, so named because of the time and effort put into the preparation.

Amazingly Jobie was also a full time member of the workforce during her lifetime until her retirement in 2019. After leaving Alcon for the pregnancy and birth of her son, she was employed as a medical billing and patient account specialist for Family Healthcare Associates and later Arlington Orthopedic Associates. Her loyalty and dedication were highly valued and she received many recognitions for her service.

One of Jobie’s happiest and most fulfilling experiences in life was the birth of her grandchildren – Noah and Kyleigh. Seeing them grow and develop was the greatest gift ever and the joy they gave her was beyond measure. She loved the simple pleasures of being a proud grandmother and bonding with the babies. She looked forward to nurturing them and being there to provide guidance and love.

All of these accomplishments do not begin to explain what a singular and special person Jobie Pool was or why she was loved by so many. From her relationships with her parents and her unshakeable bond with her father to the family ties with siblings and in-laws, Jobie was loving and caring but also remained headstrong in control of her independence and place in the world. She had an impressive memory and was the family member who could remember dates, relations and situations with perfect ease of recall. She could be opinionated and unyielding at times. Yet she was sensitive to criticism and could be insecure. She was generous to a fault and always sympathetic to anyone having difficulties or struggling with health issues. Her love for pets was boundless and unconditional whether it was for “the cat from hell”, Telstar, or her favorites in a long line of dogs, Einstein and her especially beloved chihuahuas, Echo and Emmie Sue. She adopted an elephant from the World Wildlife Foundation in 2021 in honor of her mother. Jobie was attractive with great style and paid careful attention to her appearance but was hesitant to accept compliments. Her sense of humor was contagious and she had a bawdy side that could catch you off guard. As a friend put it “she lit up every room she ever entered”. In a word, Jobie was remarkable!

Sadly that light was dimmed during her last year as she endured numerous health issues that caused her great pain and gradually wore her down resulting in a lengthy hospital stay and attempted recovery. Jobie amazed her caregivers time after time with her tenacity, strength and will to live. The whole time she asked for one thing- to be brought home. She came home on March 3rd and spent her last week comfortably with family and friends. She is missed immeasurably but is reunited with those who went before.

Jobie was preceded in death by her parents Wayne and Joyce Siegel formerly of Mansfield, Texas, sister-in-law Teresa Bonneville and brothers-in-law Patrick and Michael Pool formerly of Arlington, Texas.

Jobie Joyce Pool is survived by her husband of 34 years, Chris Pool; her son Matt, his wife Adrienne and two grandchildren, Noah and Kyleigh, all of Arlington, Texas; her sister Amy Campbell, her husband John and their twins Tatum and Cole, all of Aurora, Colorado; her brother Michael Siegel, his wife Joyce and their children, Allison Siegel Haan, her husband Andy and their son Gerrit; Nick Siegel , his wife Lindsey and their children Parker and Naomi, all of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Extended relatives include her in-laws, brother Jim Pool , his wife Denise, sister-in-law Sally, nieces Cindy Pool Lipinski-Roberts, husband Mark, Julie, Mary Kay Lohman and Christine Simpson, her husband Gary, nephews David and wife Cindy, John Michael, Chris and wife Kristi: their many children and grandchildren, all of the D-FW area.