Willis W. Jaacks

Willis W. Jaacks
September 27, 1933 - November 17, 2005
Sigourney, Iowa
Visitation: 3:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. November 20, 2005 at Reynolds-Powell Funeral Chapel
Funeral Service: 1:00 p.m. November 21, 2005 at Sigourney United Methodist Church
Interment: , at Mt. Zion Cemetery
SIGOURNEY-Willis Walter Jaacks, age 72, of Sigourney, died Thursday, November 17, 2005, at his home following a lengthy illness. Willis was born on September 27, 1933, on a farm northwest of Denison, Iowa, to Walter Herman and Jessie Dora (Moeller) Jaacks. He attended country schools and graduated from Denison High School in 1952. Willis 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. Willis 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 November 11, 1964, Willis 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. On December 27, 1958, he married Joyce Nadine Wolford in Denison and they had three children - Jon Wesley, Jill Ann and Jay Walter. They were later divorced. On July 13, 1984, he married Mary Ann Damerval. Willis 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. Survivors include his wife: Mary Ann of Sigourney; mother: Jessie Jaacks of Denison; two sons: Jon and wife Pat of Lincoln, Nebraska and Jay and wife Melissa of Portland, Oregon; one daughter: Jill Barnhart and husband Phil of Portland Oregon; two grandsons: Kyle and Eric Jaacks of Lincoln, Nebraska; two step children: Craig Damerval and wife Barbara of Winfield and Janet Lancial of Marion; four step grandchildren: Christian and Kaitlyn Damerval of Winfield and Braxton and Brittney Lancial of Marion; one sister: Jeanette Flagge and husband Tom of Fort Dodge and one nephew: Andrew Flagge of Fort Dodge. He was preceded in death by his father, Walter, on January 20, 1996, and a brother, Louis George, in infancy on March 9, 1942. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, November 21, 2005, at the Sigourney United Methodist Church, with Revs. John Hembry, Philip Ryan and Kate Stangl officiating. Private burial will be held at a later date. Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 20, 2005, at the Reynolds-Powell Funeral Chapel in Sigourney. A memorial fund has been established for Hospice of Keokuk County. Reynolds-Powell Funeral Chapel and Cremation Service in Sigourney is handling the arrangements.