Virgil Frank Jansen, age 93, of Lewis County Nursing Home, formerly of Sutter, Il, died on Saturday, July 12, 2014 in the Home. He was born on June 29, 1921 in a log cabin in the northwest area of Quincy to Fred & Ellen (Hilgenbrinck) Jansen. Virgil attended St. John Catholic School and Ursa High School. He was a man of great intelligence and reasoning. He passed on many words of wisdom to his children and grandchildren. Virgil was married to Rosemary Schwank on October 9, 1946 in St. Francis Catholic Church in Quincy by Msgr. Martin B. Hellrigel of St. Louis. Rosemary preceded him in death on May 29, 2007 after 60 years of marriage. Virgil was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church. His religious beliefs and values were a very important part of his life. He believed that everything had a purpose and reason and was not to be wasted. Virgil served in the infantry and ordinance in the European Theatre during World War II from April 19, 1944 to June 6, 1946. He landed in Normandy (France) and joined the 5th Division. During this time he fought on the French-German Line. His division went in to the Saar Valley of Germany and was moved up to the Battle of the Bulge in Luxemburg. Virgil captured a German Captain. One night, as a scout, he identified a German Company moving around his company’s flank. Artillary was called in after he identified the enemy’s location on a map. Virgil spent 89 days in an English hospital. Upon discharge, he was stationed in Steyr, Austria. There he was an assistant production manager of the Steyr Automobile Factory. Virgil hired 70 men from the Balkans (former German prisoners). Under his direction , in one week, they equipped an empty warehouse to convert army vehicles to usable trucks for European countries. Virgil started a machine tool inventory in one-sixth of the American held Austria to locate equipment Germans had stolen from countries prior to and during WWII. Then Virgil established a humanitarian truck line (convoy) through the Russian occupied area of Austria to supply the needs of the American, British, and French occupation troops and civilians in Vienna. He held all of these jobs simultaneously. Virgil was awarded the Bronze Star and Combat Infantryman Badge in the field for heroic and meritorious achievement in military operations involving conflict with the opposing armed force. He also received the Expert Rifle Badge, Good Conduct Medal, and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two battle stars and an Honorable Service Medal. Virgil retired from the International Association of Machinists and was honored with a 30 year medal. Virgil worked as a toolmaker at Cooper Industries before retiring in 1982. He was a member of UCT since 1957 and the Farm Bureau since 1941. Virgil and his wife engaged in farming near Lima since 1950. He loved farming and found joy, peace and contentment in his rural surroundings. Virgil and his wife traveled over most of the United States, including Hawaii, southern Canada and parts of northern Mexico and Western Europe.

Virgil is survived by TWO CHILDREN; Robert Jansen and his companion Shelia McEowen of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Sharon Murphy of Fordland, Missouri. THREE GRANDCHILDREN: Douglass Jansen and his wife Krisdeena, Brian Jansen, and Jennifer Cooper and her husband William “B.J.” GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN: Hunter and Jentry Cooper and Ryan Jansen. Numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives also survive.

In addition to his wife Virgil was also preceded in death by his parents, four brothers: Marcellus, Richard, Harold and LeRoy Jansen and one sister: Norma Jean Engle.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, July 17, 2014 at 9:30 in the Duker & Haugh Funeral Home and at 10:00 in St. Francis Catholic Church. Interment in Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Wednesday evening from 4:00 until 7:00 PM at the Duker & Haugh Funeral Home with a Rosary being said at 7:00 PM. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.