Roger Jachna Sr.

Roger Charles John Jachna Sr. of Hammond, Indiana, passed away peacefully in his sleep at home on Wednesday, January 30, 2019, at the age of 80.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, July 27, 2019, at Shalom Lutheran Church in Alexandria with Rev. Larry Trachte officiating. Inurnment is at Kinkead Cemetery.

Visitation is from 4-8 p.m., Friday, July 26, at Lind Funeral Home in Alexandria and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church.

Roger attended Assumption BVM grammar school on the south side of Chicago and graduated in 1956 from Chicago Vocational High School. He worked for Jewel Foods as a meat cutter for 37 years, retiring in 1993. Roger never really retired, though, and spent the following years working as hard as ever on his passions. He loved gardening and took great pride in his many and ever-changing flower beds and landscape projects. He also loved worked on rehab projects, and did countless home renovations with the goal of improving his neighborhood and being a good care taker of his homes. In his last years, he loved the solitude and abundance and beauty of nature at their home on Lake Burgen outside of Alexandria, Minnesota, and he spent considerable time there working on and overseeing renovation of that property. But he also enjoyed opportunities to travel the world (Japan, Germany, South Korea, Mexico, the Caribbean), including annual vacations to Hawaii and St. Thomas, USVI. Roger made friends wherever he went, including his daily grocery store rounds. He was generous to a fault and was loved more than he ever knew. Roger will be dearly missed by everyone whose lives he touched.

He was preceded in death by his parents Joseph J. Jachna and Estelle (Sokolowski) Jachna, his brother Joseph Jachna, his sister Shirley Brady, niece Cheryl, and nephew Billy.

Roger was the beloved husband for nearly 34 years of Ruth Bahe-Jachna, and former husband of Jean (Umgelder) Jachna; loving father of Bonnie (Mike) Troncozo, Roger (Jeanne) Jachna Jr., and Keith Jachna; proud grandfather of Angela (Jack) Oostman, Michael (Christa) Troncozo, Harley (Shannan) Troncozo, Stephanie (Chris) Smith, Elisha Jachna, and Roger Jachna III; and dearest Great-Grandpa J of Aubree, Blake, Colten, Walker, McKenzie, Shelby, Korie, Logan, and Ella-Mae. He also is survived by numerous sisters- and brothers-in-law, as well as nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to the Roger Jachna Sr. Scholarship Fund at Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa, c/o Scott Leisinger, 100 Wartburg Blvd., Waverly, IA 50677.