Walter D. " Wally" Jandro, 91 of Owatonna passed away suddenly on Friday, October 20, 2017.
Walter, the son of Edward and Elizabeth (Vandeputte) Jandro, was born on May 24, 1926 in Faribault, MN. In 1943, he went to Sausalito, CA where he worked as a welder building Liberty ships with the Ten Day Flying Crew. He joined the Maritime Service as a Merchant Marine in 1944 and sailed all around the world on one of the Liberty ships during WWII. Walter was then drafted into the U.S. Army at Fort Campbell, KY in 1950 and served during the Korean War. He attended engineer school at Fort Belvoir, VA. He married Ramona Raskob at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Faribault on June 5, 1951. In September 1952 he was honorably discharged from the Army. He took great pride in the stewardship of his land and farmed in Walcott Township. He was president of Walcott Farmers Union. He was also an assessor for Walcott Township and served on the school board. After ten years on the farm, he moved his family to Owatonna where he was a Metropolitan Life Insurance agent. He later built and managed JB Liquor Store and was the bookkeeper for the American Legion.
He had a membership with a number of groups including Minnesota Association of Foster Care, Faribault County Club, Owatonna Country Club, Waseca Lakeside Country Club, Senior Citizens Bowling, Steele Wheels Motorcycle Club, and the Owatonna Snowmobile Club. Walter was also a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus, Elks, American Legion, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was the Keeper of the Seal for the American Legion Grandfather's Club, he was also a past Commander of the Disabled American Veterans Post #20 and also of the American Legion Post #77. Wally enjoyed golfing, snowmobiling, bowling, hunting, fishing, morning coffee with his friends at the American Legion, and riding his Harley through many states with his wife.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Ramona. Their children, Larry (Lori) Jandro, Debra Jandro, Mary Lou (Ed) Boyd, John (Cheryl) Jandro, Richard (Georgia) Jandro, Renee (Kent) Albert, and Michelle (James) Nelson. Nine grandchildren, Corey (Carmen) Klessig, Shane (Jenny) Jandro, Brittany Schlie, Sabina Boyd, Dylan Boyd, Antonio Jandro, Monica Nelson, Antonia Nelson, and Joshua Nelson, as well as six great-grandchildren. His siblings Lois Malecha, Thomas (Phyllis) Jandro, Alfred (Edith) Jandro, Elizabeth Mullenberg, Diane (James) Rech, Joseph (Sandra) Jandro, and Eli (Nancy Craig) Jandro, three sisters-in-law, Betty, Joyce and Patricia Jandro, and two brothers-in-law, Jack Sammon and John (Kay) Raskob.
Walter was preceded in death by his parents and five brothers, Stanley, Howard, Roger, Cyril, and Dale Jandro. Also by two brothers-in-law, Jerald Malecha and Jerry Mullenberg, and two sisters-in-law, Ardis Sammon and Patricia M. Jandro. In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to the family's wishes, American Legion, or St. Mary's School.
Mass of Christian Burial is set for 12:00 Noon Thursday, October, 26 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Friends may greet the family two hours prior to the funeral mass at church starting at 10:00 AM Their will be a Knights of Columbus rosary recited at the beginning of the visitation. Military honors will be provided by the Steele County Funeral Unit.
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