VERNON TRAVIS

Vernon “Jack” Travis, age 87, passed away early Sunday, September 4, 2016, from the result of Alzheimer's disease.  He was born October 31, 1928, in Monroe County, Ohio, the son of Roy F. and Ava M. Travis.  On June 30, 1951, Jack married Janet M. Knippel in Milwaukee, two weeks after she graduated High School, who survives.

Jack is further survived by two daughters: Jeri Lynn Travis, Neenah, WI; and Jean (Randy) Burgess, Corvallis, OR; one son, James Michael (Mary) Travis, Clintonville, WI; six grandchildren: Jason (Sheila) Strnad; Jerime (Crystal) Strnad, Lindsay (Anthony) King; Taylor Kroeger; Logan (Megan) Travis; and Adam Travis Burgess; five great-grandchildren: Caitlyn and Megan Kroeger; Peyton and Grayson King, and Cage Strnad.

Jack was born and raised in Southeastern Ohio, near the Ohio River, nestled in the Allegheny Plateau, in very humble conditions.  In the lower Ohio coal and oil area, his family managed through challenging times with a combination of county highway employment and maintained a small subsistence farm.  Jack won numerous county-wide spelling championships during his primary grades– something that would foreshadow his vociferous vocabulary and gift of oratory throughout his life.  Jack was an accomplished traveler, story teller, itinerary organizer, wood project tinkerer, and very much a self-made man. Jack joined the US Navy at 17, traversing the Caribbean and Central America areas, travelling through the Panama Canal, and taking in several exotic ports.  Jack was offered an early discharge serving between WWII and the Korean Wars.  Jack relocated to Milwaukee attending the Milwaukee School of Engineering, but determined accounting was his calling after a Veterans Admin test informed him of his greater aptitude.  Jack met Janet Knippel at a church picnic when she was 15 (although she told him initially she was a much older and mature 16). 

Jack worked for Trostle Tanning Company in Milwaukee, and later Power Products (a company that built lawn mower engines) in addition to other employment, while attending night school at a local university. Jack completed his bachelor degree in Business Administration from Marquette in 1957.

Jack later moved his family to Wausau and resided there from 1962 until 1973, working at Hammer Blow Tools as an accountant and later as company Treasurer.   

The family moved to Neenah after taking an extended camping trip to the Rockies and concluded at the 50th Wedding anniversary of his parents in New Matamoras OH.  Near the conclusion of his professional career, Jack and Janet took up RV traveling and visited nearly all US contiguous states except 1.  They fell in love with the greater Tucson area and spent 1991 to 2003 dividing time between Wisconsin in summertime and wintering in Green Valley, AZ. Jack and Jan returned to Neenah full time in 2003. 

Jack enjoyed playing the mandolin and banjo, though no one ever would accuse him of being a gifted musician.  He enjoyed CB radioing in the early years and forged many positive and lasting relationships from that adventure.  Jack was an avid story teller and was not averse to telling the same stories over and over, seldom with embellishment or adjustment. 

Further surviving him is his sister-in-law: Donna Travis; nephews: Tom Groth; and Robert Travis; nieces: Diane (Gregg) Leidel; Bonnie (Gary) Kleist; Jill Baumann; Pamela (Robert) Stack; Melissa Marks; and Gail Travis.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents; his brother Roy “Ed” Travis; and his nephew, Kenneth Travis.

Funeral Services for Jack will be held at 11:00AM on Thursday, September 8, 2016 at St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 140 S. Green Bay Rd., Neenah, with Rev. Robert Wilkinson officiating. Visitation will be held at the church from 9:00AM until the hour of service.  Interment will be in Greenlawn Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jack's name.