Will Jahr

Will Jahr, of Decatur passed away on October 26th at his home on Windsor Rd. Will was born in Davenport, Iowa, October 6, 1920, the son of Hugo Frederick William Jahr and Helen Schlichting Jahr. He married Jean Fraser Heald on February 5, 1943 in Baltimore, Maryland. As a member of what many have called "The Greatest Generation" Will's life stories mirror our Nation's history. Growing up during the Depression would lay the foundation for what would become Will's solid work ethic, having as he used to say " grown up in the school of hard knocks". By the age of 14 he was contributing to the family income by working as a Western Union messenger boy, earning up to $11 a week, a sum that his father felt was exorbitant. His father then found him work with a local German butcher and after a week of long hours at the shop and mowing the owner's lawn on Sunday, Will received a pay of $4.00. Needless to say, the following week he was back cycling the quad cities for the Western Union. Will grew up in a German neighborhood of Davenport. During High School he was a member of the ROTC achieving the rank of Captain and was an instructor at the local rifle club. He was an expert marksman and when enlisted for the service during WWII, his enlistment papers were marked “sharpshooter,” although he never used that skill during the war. After graduating from Davenport High School in 1939 and following in his father's footsteps, he apprenticed at the Rock Island Arsenal as a tool, die and model maker for guns and artillery. In January 1943, he enlisted in the Army. His first placement was at Aberdeen Proving Grounds teaching machine shop skills and instructing rifle sharp-shooters. During his time in Maryland, he and Jean were married. There they were actively involved in the USO and loved to tell the story of how friends and fellow officers pooled their ration coupons enabling them to honeymoon in New York City. Once in New York, they had difficulty finding a place to stay due to their slight financial means, but it was war time and the City of New York was supportive to the men in uniform. Desperate to find his bride a place to sleep, he entered the Waldorf Astoria asking if there might be a room available. The desk clerk noted his uniform and surprised them with the honeymoon suite, charging only $11.00 for the weekend. Will had a total of $30.00 in his pocket. In 1944 he was transferred to Texarkana Texas to join the 625th Automotive Maintenance Battalion. From there and after a brief stay in Hawaii, he was shipped to Okinawa where he was stationed for the remainder of the war. During the war years, Will developed his talent for photography. He set up a make-shift darkroom and used his free time photographing Okinawa and taking portraits of fellow soldiers for them to send home to their families. Will always said that photography got him through the war. In the years to come, Will owned and operated several businesses, including: The W.J. Jahr Co., Commodore Marine Sales, and Audiotronics. He and Jean came to Decatur in the early 1950s and remained here for the duration of their lives. In 1968, Will built a cabin on Lake Pana that became the heart home for many gatherings of family and friends. In the 1970s he, Jean, and others founded an alternative school, The New School. They along with fifty other families were looking for a more humanistic and hands on approach to education. Their daughter, Laura, attended this school. In the 1980s Will and Jean entered a life-long endeavor of hosting international students in their home. They hosted these students through their active commitment to the AFS foreign study program. Several of these students became extended family members. Will was a man of many talents and interests. He was well known in his community for his love and collection of antique clocks and watches. His home, for many years, was a showcase for the pieces he collected over a lifetime. In later years, he added antique guns and rifles to his collections. He was also a licensed amateur radio operator. Will was a member of several organizations including the American Legion, the Masons, the National Rifle Association, and the American Radio Relay League. Friends and family will attest that Will Jahr was a generous man. He gave freely of himself sharing his skills, talents, time, and love. Those that knew him well know that he always had a joke or a quote to share. One of his quotes came from sportswriter, Grantland Rice: "For when the One Great Scorer comes to write against your name He marks--- not that you won or lost----but how you played the game." And in this way, he lived his life. Will is survived by three children; Ronald Jahr (Linda), Naperville, IL. Patricia Bolen (Ron), Chrisman, IL. Laura Jahr (David), Decatur, IL., two foster children; Mohammad (Michelle) Sagakhaneh, St. Louis, MO. Abdolreza (Kim) Sagakhaneh. St. Louis, MO. Grandchildren; Michael (Lori) Buth, Bolingbrook, IL. Craig Buth, Bolingbrook, IL., Christine (Lorin) Schumacher, Gaffney, SC. DR. Michael Rueter, Sioux Falls, SD., Matthew Rueter, Madrid, Spain, Daniel Calleja, Nicolas Calleja, Elia Calleja, all of Decatur, Amir Sagakhaneh, Samantha Sagakhaneh, Kevin Sagakheneh, all of St. Louis, MO., great grandchildren; Joshua Buth, Bollingbrook, IL., Calin Schumacher and Derek Schumacher both of Gaffney, SC., Vallie Jahr Cribbs (Sister) Sherman, TX., Herb Jahr (Brother) (Caroline) Phoenix, AZ., Jerry Currant (Nephew) Sherman, TX. He was preceded in death by wife, Jean Jahr in 2013 and his parents. A private family graveside service will be held on Friday Nov. 2, at Camp Butler National Cemetery. "
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