Jan was a simple and a humble man. As a young boy he loved visiting his grandparents in El Cajon, who had a horse, chickens, a vegetable garden, an amazing swing set and many trees to climb. Grandma was a fabulous cook and it was delightful for her grandchildren to visit with her and to play in their house and yard. Like all of us visiting or spending the night with them was a wonderful break from our suburban home. However, thanks to our wonderful next door neighbors, they befriended Jan and took him fishing with them. That's probably where his lifelong passion for fishing first started. This passion developed into a vocation as he became a commercial tuna fisherman when he was a teenager. He joined the Marines in 1966 after graduating from Helix High School. He was such an outstanding shot and did so well in boot camp, that he was the Honor Man in his platoon. He did two tours of duty in Vietnam from 1966 to 1970. Then he can home and married his sweetheart, Sharon Blocker and had two children.
Vietnam changed him like it did many people. He was quieter and not as happy go lucky as before the war, but he still loved to fish. After a divorce and another marriage, he eventually made his home in McKinleyville, Humboldt County California, when he retired. There he raised chickens, made new friends and continued to enjoy ocean fishing in Humboldt Bay. After his wife died he moved to Missouri where he eventually remarried until his death from complications of cancer related to the Agent Orange he was exposed to in Vietnam.
Jan was most happy when he was fishing and I sincerely hope that he is able to continue fishing in heaven. I am sure he will let the fish go free as it has always been more about catching them, than eating them. His family loved him very much and I know he will have many loving family members waiting at the gates to meet him upon arrival. The welcoming committee will surely include all his family members and our favorite Uncle Vern Brenn 7062759. I am sure there will also be a large contingent of family pets happy to be reunited with Jan.
Thy soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart:
Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea:
Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free,
So didst thou travel on life's common way,
In cheerful godliness; and yet thy heart
The lowliest duties on herself did lay.
Vietnam changed him like it did many people. He was quieter and not as happy go lucky as before the war, but he still loved to fish. After a divorce and another marriage, he eventually made his home in McKinleyville, Humboldt County California, when he retired. There he raised chickens, made new friends and continued to enjoy ocean fishing in Humboldt Bay. After his wife died he moved to Missouri where he eventually remarried until his death from complications of cancer related to the Agent Orange he was exposed to in Vietnam.
Jan was most happy when he was fishing and I sincerely hope that he is able to continue fishing in heaven. I am sure he will let the fish go free as it has always been more about catching them, than eating them. His family loved him very much and I know he will have many loving family members waiting at the gates to meet him upon arrival. The welcoming committee will surely include all his family members and our favorite Uncle Vern Brenn 7062759. I am sure there will also be a large contingent of family pets happy to be reunited with Jan.
Thy soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart:
Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea:
Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free,
So didst thou travel on life's common way,
In cheerful godliness; and yet thy heart
The lowliest duties on herself did lay.
Jan was a simple and a humble man. As a young boy he loved visiting his grandparents in El Cajon, who had a horse, chickens, a vegetable garden, an amazing swing set and many trees to climb. Grandma was a fabulous cook and it was delightful for her grandchildren to visit with her and to play in their house and yard. Like all of us visiting or spending the night with them was a wonderful break from our suburban home. However, thanks to our wonderful next door neighbors, they befriended Jan and took him fishing with them. That's probably where his lifelong passion for fishing first started. This passion developed into a vocation as he became a commercial tuna fisherman when he was a teenager. He joined the Marines in 1966 after graduating from Helix High School. He was such an outstanding shot and did so well in boot camp, that he was the Honor Man in his platoon. He did two tours of duty in Vietnam from 1966 to 1970. Then he can home and married his sweetheart, Sharon Blocker and had two children.
Vietnam changed him like it did many people. He was quieter and not as happy go lucky as before the war, but he still loved to fish. After a divorce and another marriage, he eventually made his home in McKinleyville, Humboldt County California, when he retired. There he raised chickens, made new friends and continued to enjoy ocean fishing in Humboldt Bay. After his wife died he moved to Missouri where he eventually remarried until his death from complications of cancer related to the Agent Orange he was exposed to in Vietnam.
Jan was most happy when he was fishing and I sincerely hope that he is able to continue fishing in heaven. I am sure he will let the fish go free as it has always been more about catching them, than eating them. His family loved him very much and I know he will have many loving family members waiting at the gates to meet him upon arrival. The welcoming committee will surely include all his family members and our favorite Uncle Vern Brenn 7062759. I am sure there will also be a large contingent of family pets happy to be reunited with Jan.
Thy soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart:
Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea:
Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free,
So didst thou travel on life's common way,
In cheerful godliness; and yet thy heart
The lowliest duties on herself did lay.
Vietnam changed him like it did many people. He was quieter and not as happy go lucky as before the war, but he still loved to fish. After a divorce and another marriage, he eventually made his home in McKinleyville, Humboldt County California, when he retired. There he raised chickens, made new friends and continued to enjoy ocean fishing in Humboldt Bay. After his wife died he moved to Missouri where he eventually remarried until his death from complications of cancer related to the Agent Orange he was exposed to in Vietnam.
Jan was most happy when he was fishing and I sincerely hope that he is able to continue fishing in heaven. I am sure he will let the fish go free as it has always been more about catching them, than eating them. His family loved him very much and I know he will have many loving family members waiting at the gates to meet him upon arrival. The welcoming committee will surely include all his family members and our favorite Uncle Vern Brenn 7062759. I am sure there will also be a large contingent of family pets happy to be reunited with Jan.
Thy soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart:
Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea:
Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free,
So didst thou travel on life's common way,
In cheerful godliness; and yet thy heart
The lowliest duties on herself did lay.
Gravesite Details
None
Family Members
Parents
