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Submitted: 5/17/21 • Approved: 5/17/21 • Last Updated: 5/20/21 • R272104-G0-S3
Vance E. Janssen, 92, of Sioux Falls, SD passed away surrounded by his family on Thursday, December 26, 2019 at the Estelline Care Center.
Funeral Service will be 2:00 pm Thursday, January 2, 2020 at Miller Funeral Home-Downtown, 507 S. Main Ave., Sioux Falls, SD. Burial will be at Woodlawn Cemetery, Sioux Falls, SD. The family will be greet friends one hour prior to the service.
Vance Eilert Janssen, son of Simon and Minnie (Bauman) Janssen, was born February 21, 1927 on the family farm near Bruce, SD in Brookings County. Vance had five siblings, Verle, Vern, Mini, Mattie and Gladys. He grew up in the Estelline area where he attended Estelline High School. He worked at the grocery store and the hatchery. Vance was drafted into the US Army in 1945 where he served as a Clerk Typist on the USS Hope during World War II bringing home the deceased and injured veterans from service. Following his honorable discharge, he attended Mechanics Trade School in Kansas City, MO. He returned to work at Sturdivant’s in Brookings, SD.
Vance was united in marriage with his high school sweetheart, Wava E. Swift on September 2, 1951 at Wava’s parents’ home in Estelline, SD. They were blessed with two daughters, Eileen and Annette. In 1956, they moved to Sioux Falls where he worked for Sturdivant’s and Locke Auto Electric. He and Wava then started their own shop called V&W Repair until their retirement in 1994. After retirement he enjoyed working at Spring Creek Golf Course.
They were longtime members of United Church of Christ, First Congregational Church, Camp Krof Committee, American Legion, VFW, and the Moose Lodge. They enjoyed camping, and wintering in Texas, old cars, old style gas engines, trains, railways and yearly trips to the Granite Threshing Bee.
Grateful for having shared his life are his wife of 68 years, Wava; two daughters, Annette (Jay) Rezac, and Eileen (Rob) Gannon, all of Sioux Falls, SD; five grandchildren; several nieces, nephews and close friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; five siblings.
Military marker
Section East Knoll- Plot # 765
Contributed on 5/17/21 by 9katz
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Record #: 272104