Emil B. Janssen - Stewartville

The funeral service for Emil B. Janssen, 92, of Stewartville will be at 11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 10, 2012 at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Stewartville, with Rev. Lyle Fritsch officiating.

Burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery in Stewartville, with military graveside honors by the Stewartville American Legion and Stewartville V.F.W.

Mr. Janssen died on Friday. Sept. 7, 2012, of natural causes, at his home.

Emil Bernhard Janssen was born Nov. 28, 1919 in Delft to Theodore and Gesina(Dierks) Janssen.

He grew up on the family farm and attended rural school and worked in the Conservation Corps Program in different parts of Minnesota.

Emil was married on Sept. 28, 1941 in Elmore to Frances I. Senne. Following their marriage the couple made their home in Stewartville.

He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942 serving overseas during W.W.II in the Pacific Theatre, where he earned a Purple Heart Medal. Following his discharge in 1945 he was employed at the Stewartville Elevator and attended night school in Rochester where he received a G.E. Degree and earned his Boiler Operator’s License.

Mr. Janssen was employed at Stewartville All-American Co-op for 37 years until his retirement in 1983. Mrs. Janssen was employed at Berg Drug Store and Himmer Snyder Drug in Stewartville for many years.

The Janssens lived in their home in Stewartville for 67 years. Emil was a longtime member of St. John's Lutheran Church where he served on the church council and as a trustee and was a member of it’s bible study group.

He was a member of the Stewartville American Legion and V.F.W. He enjoyed woodworking and made wooden toys and birdhouses and a small altar and lectern for a chapel area in his church.

Emil was a fisherman, golfer and bowler and enjoyed going camping up north with family and friends and feeding the birds in his yard. He loved time spent with his family, especially his grandchildren and great- and great-great grandchildren.

Emil is survived by his wife, Frances; one daughter and one son, Sandra(Ron) Geist, of Stewartville and Gary (Pam), of Montgomery; six grandchildren, Terri (Ron) Geise, Tammy (Frank) Huntley, Amy Janssen, Breyenne (Owen) Janssen, Christopher Geist and Nick Janssen; five great grandchildren, Lee, Alicia, Sophia, Vivienne and Dylan; and two great-great grandchildren, Dominik and Akira.

He was preceded in death by his parents, eight sisters and one brother.

Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. on Sunday (Sept. 9, 2012) at Griffin-Gray Funeral Home in Stewartville, and 1 hour prior to the service at the church on Monday morning.

Arrangements are with Griffin-Gray Funeral Home in Stewartville, www.griffin-gray.com.