WAYNE WILLARD JANS

JANS

Posted By: Marthann (email)
Date: 10/11/2006 at 20:06:10

Wayne Willard Jans July 24, 1916 - September 21, 2006
Posted with permission from:

Denison Bulletin/Review

Denison IA 51442

10/03/2006

Wayne Willard Jans was born July 24, 1916, the son of Frank and Mary Peters Jans.

He died Thursday, September 21, 2006 at the Crawford County Memorial Hospital in Denison, Iowa at the age of ninety.

Wayne was born on the family farm north of Arcadia and was baptized on March 18, 1917 at the Arcadia Presbyterian Church.

He received his education at the Arcadia Community School, graduating from the Arcadia High School with the class of 1934.

He worked for W.O. Stoelk Electric and on April 27, 1940, Wayne was united in marriage to Phyllis Schroeder of Manning at the Lutheran Parsonage in Denison.

In 1941, Wayne went to work at Matt Hardware in Carroll until he was drafted into the United States Air Force in June 1943. He was the first married man to be drafted from Carroll County.

He served with the 12th Bomb Group, 82nd Squadron. He was a tail gunner, flying 53 bombing missions over China, India and Burma for ten months. He received several medals for his tour of duty. He was honorably discharged on October 27, 1945.

On April 1, 1946, Wayne and Phyllis purchased the K & H Market in Westside and called it Jans Market. In 1957 they purchased another store and moved their business to that location which they occupied until retirement on July 1, 1979.

Wayne was a member of the United Presbyterian Church, now United Church; serving as Elder, Trustee and Clerk of Session and Choir member which he sang in the church quartet at various functions.

He was also a member of the American Legion having served as Commander and Adjutant. Civic duties included being City Mayor, Councilman and City Clerk.

Wayne was also a member of the Westside School Board when the reorganization of Ar-We-Va Schools took place.

In 1957, he was one of the original people to organize the Westside Community Club and served as its first president.

After retirement he kept active in city affairs, keeping the cemetery records and in 1987 helped with getting The Diner up and running.

The City of Westside meant a lot to him and he wanted to see the town and its businesses survive and prosper.

Wayne is preceded in death by his parents, sister and brother-in-law, Irene and Leo Diers and brother and sister-in-law, Melvin and Marion Jans and an infant niece and nephew. Survivors include his wife, Phyllis of sixty-six years of Westside; four children, Wanda Dorr and her husband, Dave of Belmond; Arlan Jans and his wife, Deb of Denison; Curtis Jans and his wife, Linda of Willmar, Minnesota; and Marla Jans and special friend, Leonard Hassett of Denison. Also seven grandchildren; Kirk Saylor of Clarion, Iowa; Kari Sanders and her husband, Shannon of Sneads Ferry, North Carolina; Eric Jans and his wife, Kristin of Chicago, Illinois; Donovan Jans and his fiancé, Kristin of Raytown, Missouri; Alysia Listerud and her husband, Brad of Spicer, Minnesota; Serena Jans of Mankato, Minnesota; and Nathan Jans of Fargo, North Dakota; one step-grandson, Mark Dorr and his wife, Tonia of Leon, Iowa; five great-grandchildren and two step-great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Ruth Schroeder of Denison and Gertrude Christensen of Keene, California; also many nieces, nephews and friends.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. On Monday, September 25, 2006 at the United Church in Westside, Iowa. Pastor Virginia Stiles officiated the service and grave side rites held at the Westside Cemetery. Janine Kock provided the organ accompaniment for vocalists Glenn Freese and Dave Freese singing, "In the Garden" and "Ivory Palaces".

Those serving as pallbearers were Donovan Jans, Kari Sanders, Nathan Jans, Alysia Listerud, Kirk Saylor, Serena Jans and Eric Jans. Military Honors were the Vail American Legion Post 65 and Westside American Legion Post 196. The family invited everyone in attendance at the service to return to the church and join them in fellowship and lunch served by the United Church Women. The Huebner Funeral Home in Westside was in charge of arrangements