Walter "'Phil'" P. Jahn

Walter Philip Phil Jahn entered into his eternal home on Monday, August 31, 2015 at Bickford Assisted Living Home in Grand Island. He was 93 years old and had lived a full and active life.



Graveside services will be at 3:00 p.m. Friday, September 4, 2015 at the Prairie Home Cemetery in Holdrege, with Pastor Mark Dunham officiating.



Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Thursday September 3, 2015 at the Apfel Funeral Home in Grand Island.



Phil was born in Cranford, New Jersey on December 7, 1921, the son of Walter C. and Lydia A.

Jahn, their second son. He graduated from high school in 1939 and worked as a welder until he was called to active duty with the United States Navy Reserve in 1942.



Phil served in Newport, Rhode Island and later transferred to Navy Pier in Chicago where he first met his wife, Virginia (Virgie) Larson from Holdrege, NE. He also served in Miami, New Orleans, and sea duty in the Atlantic and Caribbean. In 1943, his ship was reassigned to the Pacific Fleet with home port being Seattle. It was there on June 3, 1944 that Phil and Virginia were married. After serving a while longer with deployments to the islands and fighting in the Western Pacific and Japan, Phil eventually returned to reserve status, working in Kansas and Nebraska. In November of 1947, a son, Brian P. Jahn was born in Kearney, Nebraska, he was their only child.



Soon after, Phil and Virgie moved to his home in Cranford, New Jersey where he had a career as an engineer for Elf Atochem in their Research and Development plants until his retirement in 1990. Phil was a member of the National Association of Power Engineers, American Legion, licensed United States Merchant Marine Seaman, Tin Can Sailor Association and U.S. Navy Destroyer Veterans. Phil and Virgie moved to Grand Island in 1995 to be closer to family.



Phil and Virgies son, Brian passed away in 1996 and Virgie died in September of 2004. Phil and Virgie were dedicated parents to Brian and active in their church both in New Jersey, Monroe and in Grand Island. Phil and Virginia mentored at Dodge Elementary for a number of years. Phil was very active at the Grand Generation Center in Grand Island and enjoyed many friends and family. He was a man of great faith and one who had many great relationships.



He is survived by a cousin, Jayne Matsuda of San Francisco, CA and many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.



He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, Virgie, son, Brian and older brother, in addition to many relatives in the Holdrege, Grand Island and Aurora area.



Memorials are suggested to the Grand Generation Center.