John (Jack) William Jorgensen, Jr.

John (Jack) William Jorgensen Jr., the son of John William Sr. and Bessie (Nielsen) Jorgensen, was born August 14, 1927, at his parents’ home near Jacksonville, Iowa, and died August 20, 2012, at Audubon County Memorial Hospital in Audubon, Iowa, at the age of 85 years and six days. Jack was baptized and confirmed at Jacksonville Lutheran Church in Jacksonville. He attended rural school, Jackson #5, and then graduated from Harlan High School with the class of 1945. Jack helped operate the family farm. On December 15, 1950, he was inducted into the U.S. Army. During his tour of duty, he was an auto mechanic and was stationed in Korea. He was honorably discharged on December 11, 1952. Jack returned home to Jacksonville and then attended Dana College in Blair, Nebraska, where he studied engineering. He then moved to Harlan where he was employed at the post office and also helped on the family farm. On September 18, 1954, he was united in marriage to Rhoda Johansen at Nazareth Lutheran Church in Coulter, Iowa. Four daughters - Sheri, Holly, Jan, and Carol - were born to this union. They lived in Harlan for a short time and then moved to the family farm near Jacksonville, which he helped operate. In 1958 Jack and his family moved to a farm in Melville Township in Audubon County where they grew crops and raised livestock. He retired in 1997, and he and Rhoda moved to Audubon. However, Jack was a retired farmer who never quit farming. Jack was an active member of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon. He enjoyed using his cell phone to regularly contact his daughters and grandchildren. One of his later joys was to drive the countryside and “windshield farm.” But most of all he enjoyed spending time with his family, especially the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Jack was preceded in death by his son-in-law Stanley Kjergaard; his parents; his nephew David Jorgensen; his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Dale Johansen, Wendell Johansen, Beulah and husband Joe Rodecap and Darlene Johansen. Survivors include his wife Rhoda Jorgensen of Audubon; his daughters Sheri and husband Keith Bandle of Eden Prairie, Minnesota; Holly Kjergaard and friend Steve Irlmeier, both of Audubon; Jan and husband Mike Lockhorst of Johnston, Iowa; and Carol Lyn and husband Donald Foster of Urbandale, Iowa; his grandchildren Kyle and wife Megan Kjergaard of Audubon; Beth and husband Doug Wurth of Johnston; Cara Kjergaard of Ames, Iowa; Lauren Kjergaard of Audubon; John Tayloe of Ames; and Jenna Tayloe of Johnston; his great-grandsons Aiden Kjergaard of Audubon and Jackson Wurth of Johnston; his brothers and sisters Phil and wife Jane Jorgensen of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Mary and husband Jerry Kelley of Bolivar, Missouri; Rosie and husband Skip Dale of Audubon; and Dan and wife Elaine Jorgensen of Audubon; his sisters-in-law and brother-in-law Lois Johansen and Maxine Johansen both of Hampton, Iowa; Glenn and wife Sandy Johansen of Latimer, Iowa; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Cemetery:
Interment will be in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon.

Visitation:
The family will meet with friends on Tuesday evening at 6:00 P.M. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon, Iowa.

Service:
Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Doug Opp on Wednesday, August 22, 2012, at 10:30 P.M. at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon, Iowa.