Wilbur "Pete" Peter Jansen Obituary (1928

Wilbur Peter "Pete" Jansen, 88, a longtime resident of the Verboort community passed away on Wednesday morning, September 21, 2016 at the Jennings McCall Assisted Living in Forest Grove. Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be said at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, September 26, 2016 at Visitation Catholic Church; 4285 NW Visitation Rd in Verboort. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated following the Rosary at 11:00 a.m. Family and friends are invited to attend a reception held in the parish center immediately following the service. Rite of Christian Burial and Vault interment will be held at Visitation Catholic Cemetery at 2:00 p.m. Pete was born on January 31, 1928 on the family farm in Verboort. He was one of nine children born to Albert and Dora (VanDyke) Jansen. He was raised on the family farm and attended Verboort Catholic Grade School and Verboort High School graduating with the Class of 1946. He met his future wife, Irene McGinn at a church dance in Hillsboro. They soon began dating and on April 3, 1951 they were married at St Matthew Catholic Church in Hillsboro. Following their marriage they made their home and raised their family on the farm in Verboort. Irene passed away on March 13, 1989 and Pete continued to live on the farm until recently. Pete was a dairyman all of his life.He owned and operated, with his wife, Wil-Rene Farms raising around 50 head of registered Guernsey cows while operating a 120 acre farm. In 2014, the farm was designated as an Oregon Century Farm. He enjoyed farming tremendously and working with his family. Pete was a 4-H leader of the Verboort Dairy Club and sponsored theShowmanship award at the Washington County Fair for over 15 years. Peteparticipated in dairy shows at the county, state, and national levels. In high school he played baseball for the Verboort Dutchman as a catcher and continued playing some semi pro ball. Irene and Pete square danced with the 4N8er's and enjoyed dancing in the Forester Hall (across the street from their home), Aloha Grange Hall,and throughout the state. They traveled to British Columbia, Hawaii, Mexico, and across the nation but Pete especially liked to take Sunday afternoon drives through the valley. He volunteered at his church as treasurer of the Visitation Catholic Cemetery (44 years) and served twice as chairman of the Verboort Sausage and Kraut Dinner. He was a member of the Forest Grove Elks, Oregon Guernsey Breeders Association, and American Guernsey Association for many years. He also served as a district director on the All West / Select Sires board for 12 years. In addition, he spent four years as the manager of the Oregon Jersey Milk Co-op. He received several awards including the 1985 Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District Co-Operator of the Year and in 1997 received the Community Service Award from the Oregon Dairy Farmers Association. Pete's pride and joy was his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He loved family gatherings, especially picnics and weiner roasts around the fire pit on the family farm! He is preceded in death by his loving wife, Irene, a daughter, Janet, eight siblings; Maurice, Larry, Gerve, Vern, Clarence, Mary Hafner, Arlene Herinckx and Martha Eberly. He is survived by his seven children and their spouses; Mike and Sherry Jansen of Verboort, Patty and Byron Meadows of Salem, Linda and Bruce Heintz of Cedar Mill, Carolyn and Marv Vanaken of Forest Grove, Jackie and John Thomas of Hillsboro, Susan and Dale Pedersen of Vernonia, Dan and Marlene Jansen of Christmas Valley, a sister-in-law; Dorothy Jansen of Forest Grove, eighteen grandchildren and five great grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family suggest donations in Pete's name to Visitation Catholic Cemetery or Visitation Catholic Church.