JAACKS, Willis Walter 1933-2005

JAACKS, MOELLER, REYNOLDS, WOLFORD, DAMERVAL, BARNHART, LANCIAL, FLAGGE, MARTIN, LAMB, HEMBRY, RYAN, BRINGMAN, STANGL

Posted By: Mary F (email)
Date: 12/10/2016 at 14:57:49

Willis Walter Jaacks, 72, of Sigourney, died Thurs., Nov. 17, 2005, at his home following a lengthy illness.

He was born on Sept. 27, 1933, on a farm northwest of Denison, the son of Walter Herman and. Jessie Dora (Moeller) Jaacks. He attended country schools and graduated from Denison High School in 1952. He then attended Iowa State College and the University of Colorado. He then worked for the Iowa Highway Commission for several years as an inspector on highway and bridge construction and also right-of-way calculations. He then attended Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago, graduating in 1958. He served his apprenticeship at the Huebner Funeral Home in Denison and came to Reynolds Funeral Chapel in 1960 for a year. He then moved to Iowa City and worked at Oathout Funeral Home and went back to school at the University of Iowa. He helped at Reynolds Funeral Chapel during most of 1964 after Mr. Reynolds had a second heart attack. Upon Mr. Reynolds' death on Nov. 11, 1964, he purchased the Reynolds Funeral Chapel on December 10, 1964 and moved back to Sigourney later that month. He owned and operated Reynolds Funeral Chapel until October 1, 1999, when he sold to Powell Funeral Homes. He married Joyce Nadine Wolford in Denison on Dec. 27, 1958, and they had three children: Jon Wesley, Jill Ann and Jay Walter. They were later divorced. He married Mary Ann Damerval on July 13, 1984. He was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity and the Sigourney Lions Club and a former member of the Iowa Funeral Director's Association and the Sigourney Country Club. He enjoyed spending time at the pond, playing cards and traveling.

He is survived by his wife; his mother; two sons, Jon and Jay; one daughter, Jill Barnhart; two grandsons; two step-children, Craig Damerval and Janet Lancial; four step-grandchildren; one sister, Jeanette Flagge; his mother-in-law, Arlene Martin; four brothers-in-law, Darrell Martin, Clair Martin, Warren Martin and Wayne Martin; one sister-in-law, Marjorie Lamb; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father; and a brother, Louis George, in infancy.

Funeral services were held Mon., Nov. 21, at the Sigourney United Methodist Church, with the Revs. John Hembry, Philip Ryan, Jim Bringman and Kate Stangl officiating. Private burial will be held at a later date.

Clipping from Sigourney News