Francis "Jiggs" Roehl

Mass of Christian Burial for Francis "Jiggs" Roehl, age 95, of Oak Park, will be held Thursday, November 7, 2019 at 11 AM at St. Louis Catholic Church in Foreston with Fr. Derek Wiechmann officiating.  Interment will follow at St. Louis Cemetery.  Visitation will be held from 5 - 8 PM Wednesday at St. Louis Catholic Church in Foreston with a rosary service at 7:45 PM.  Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.

Francis “Jiggs” Roehl was born September 24, 1924 in Medina Township, Minnesota to Henry and Hildegarde Roehl.  When Francis was three, the family moved to a farm near Oak Park.  He attended McKinley School through eighth grade after which he helped on the farm.  As a child, Francis so enjoyed the comic “Jiggs & Maggie” his siblings started calling him Jiggs, a name that stayed with him his entire life.  In 1946, after his older brothers returned from the war, Jiggs enlisted in the Army.  He was stationed in Pusan, South Korea.  After returning home, Jiggs briefly worked at Minneapolis Moline in the cities.  In 1955, he married Margaret Kosel, and together they bought a farm a mile from the Roehl homestead.  There, they raised their six children, and successfully farmed for many years.

Jiggs was an avid hunter.  Family lore tells the story of the year Jiggs bagged two deer with one shot.  Jiggs also enjoyed woodwork, cribbage, gardening, fishing, and time spent with his children and grandchildren.  His family is grateful for the gift of faith and the love of Jesus he passed on to them.  He passed away Monday, November 4, 2019 at the Gardens of Foley.

Jiggs was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret; brothers, George, Bill, Dick, and Ray; and sisters, Mildred and Irene.

He is survived by his children, Theresa (Tom) Carlson, Karen (Jim) Goodin, Eileen (Dave) Pikus, Daniel (Denise), Bernard, and Gerald;  14 grandchildren;  15 great-grandchildren;  sister, Mary Nikolas, and brother, Henry (Edna) Roehl.

The family would like to thank the nursing staff of Foley Nursing Home for the compassionate care they gave to their father in his final days.