Leamington names roadway after County EMS pioneer

John Jacobs Sr., a pioneer provider of Essex County EMS services, has been honoured by the Municipality of Leamington.

A roadway leading into Leamington Marina now bears the name “John Jacobs Way.”

For decades starting in the 1950s, Jacobs and his brother Ed owned and operated Sun Parlor Ambulance Service, also known as Sun Parlor Emergency Services. The private, family-run EMS operation for decades served Leamington and surrounding communities of both Essex and Kent Counties.

“He’s an important part of the history of EMS in Essex County,” said Justin Lammers, Chief of Essex-Windsor EMS. “The Jacobs were instrumental in the formation of land ambulance service in our region.”

Before provincially regulated ambulance services – such as today’s Essex-Windsor EMS – arose in the late 1960s, private operators filled crucial gaps in regional emergency care and transportation.

Jacobs, a well-known and admired local community pillar, and an avid boater, also served three terms on Leamington Council.

“We are proud to honour John’s legacy in a place that meant so much to him,” Leamington Mayor and County of Essex Warden Hilda MacDonald said in a Municipality of Leamington news release. “John Jacobs Way is more than just a roadway: it represents his deep connection to our waterfront, his dedication to the community, and the meaningful contributions he made over the course of his service.”

Jacobs retired from active EMS service in 2010. He passed away at age 80 in 2020, but the Jacobs family’s contributions to EMS in Essex County continue. John Jacobs’ son, John Jacobs Jr. (Jake), retired not long ago following a long career with Essex-Windsor EMS, and his daughter Lisa Jacobs works as an Ambulance Communications Officer.