John "Jack" Protextor (1925-2016)

PROTEXTOR, BURT, NIELSEN, SCHNOOR

Posted By: jane austin (email)
Date: 6/27/2016 at 19:15:13

John "Jack" Emmett Protextor, son of Emmett and Greta (Burt) Protextor, was born September 25, 1925 at Sanborn, Iowa. He spent his youth in the Sanborn area, and received his education there.

Jack served his country during WWII as a Staff Sergeant in the United States Army Airforce beginning in February of 1944. He saw action with the 494th Bombardment Group as a B-24 Bomber tailgunner. His tour of duty took him to the South Pacific, Hawaii, Palau Island, and Okinawa, Japan. He went on 51 bombing missions while in the Pacific, earning him the Philipinne Liberation Ribbon with 2 Bronze Stars. He was honorably discharged in January, 1946, and returned home to Sanborn.

On November 30, 1947, Jack was united in marriage to Pearl Bernice Nielsen at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, IA. The couple made their home on the Protextor family farm north of Sanborn where they raised their three children: Terry, Yvonne, and Bonnie. Jack and Pearl lived their entire married life on this farm, raising livestock and growing row crops. They were proud to be working the land when it became a Century Farm.

After his family, agriculture was everything to Jack. He appreciated nature and all it had to offer, making sure he set aside some time for deer and pheasant hunting in the fall. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Sanborn. Jack moved to Prairie View Inn at Sanborn in June of 2014, and resided there until his passing on June 23, 2016 at the age of 90.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Emmett and Greta Protextor; his wife, Pearl; and his daughter, Bonnie.

Survivors include his son, Terry (Vicki) Protextor of Iowa City, IA; his daughter, Yvonne (Doug) Schnoor of Maple Grove, MN; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; other relatives and friends.

Sanborn-Hartley Funeral Home