Albert "Al" Joseph Jarvis

Renaissance man: husband, father, brother, uncle, friend; CPA, musician, WWII veteran, foodie, Sunday school teacher, philosopher, student of life, patriarch

On February 26, 2018, Albert J. Jarvis of Whitefish Bay left this world to be with his beloved, Patricia C. Jarvis, who preceded him in death. Al was born on June 27, 1922 in Waukesha, Wisconsin. While his prowess with numbers and accounting were appreciated by his clients throughout the years, it was but a small fraction of who he was and what he enjoyed.

Most of all, Al loved and was loved by his energetic family. Patricia, his wife of 49 years, who died in 2004. He is survived by his daughters Ann (John) Eads and Marcia (Dirk) Decker and five sons, Paul, John (Kim), Jim, Patrick (Lori) and Robert (Katie). He was the proud grandparent of Evie, Jonah, Sean, Nicholas, Abigail, Breanna, Breon, Matthew, Amelia and Claire and the great-grandfather of Carrick.

Al was the eldest of eight children born to the late Grace (nee Woelfl) and Joseph Jarvis. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Daniel, Gerald, and Joseph and his sisters Delores and Patricia. He is survived by his sisters Mary Alice Stone, Bernadine Marx and Carol Gramling.  He is further survived by numerous loved nieces and nephews, friends and neighbors.

In his youth, young Albert enjoyed skating on the Fox River and music, the latter which would remain a passion throughout his life. He graduated from Marquette University High School and went on the attend Spenserian College. He enlisted in WWII at the age of 20 and served in the 48th Army Engineer Combat Battalion campaigning through Africa, Italy, France and Germany.

Following the war, Al enrolled at Marquette University and also met his future wife Patricia while riding the Milwaukee Rapid Transit. They married in 1954. As a young CPA, Al labored through tax returns for corporations and for individuals. There were some lows through the years, but Al kept perspective whether it was a house fire (no injuries), a few wrecked cars (damn those kids – again no serious injuries), or another losing Packers season. There were many highs including a romantic honeymoon in Manhattan, playing clarinet and saxophone in countless bands, northern Wisconsin family vacations, teaching Sunday School at St. Monica’s, a hot air balloon flight in Massachusetts and days spent with grandkids and family. Al and Pat instilled the values of education, compassion, integrity, justice and service to their children which remains evident in the career paths they have chosen.

In his later years, Al became a philosopher willing to engage in discussions around politics, spirituality, world history, the best way to make a martini, and how to travel after WWII through Europe with a German circus. The world is richer for his stories, his firm beliefs, and his strict rules when the kids were young, and his relaxed perspective of what was important when talking with his grandkids. His impact is hard to measure – but it will be felt for years to come.

Many thanks to Dad’s heart, vascular and endocrinology providers at Wheaton Franciscan who helped all these years to assist Al in his quality of life.

Visitation will be on Thursday, March 1, 2018 at Feerick Funeral Home in Shorewood, WI from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday, March 2, at 10:30 AM at Saint Monica’s Catholic Church, corner  of N. Santa Monica Blvd and E. Silver Spring Dr, Whitefish Bay, WI. Interment will follow at 1:30 PM at Saint Paul’s Cemetery in Genesee Depot, WI.

Donations in Al’s name can be made to the House of Peace (http://www.capuchincommunityservices.org/) or Milwaukee Meals on Wheels  (http://county.milwaukee.gov/Seniornutritionprogr13232.htm)

The gate of heaven is everywhere. Thomas Merton