Jay Schon

Jay S. Schon, 69, of Waukon, IA, died Tuesday, August 29, 2023, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, WI. Memorial services will be held Saturday, September 2nd, at 11:00 AM at First Baptist Church in Waukon with Pastor Duane Smith officiating. Friends may greet the family from 3:30 PM - 6:30 PM Friday at Martin - Grau Funeral Home in Waukon. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Humane Society of NE Iowa in Decorah ( checkout.shelterluv.com/donate/hsni ) or to Helping Services for Youth and Families serving Northeast Iowa ( www.helpingservices.org/donate) .

Jay Scott Schon was born July 1, 1954, in Waukon, IA, the son of John Ralph and Jean Claire (Peterson) Schon. Jay was baptized at First Baptist Church in Waukon, where he was a lifelong member. After attending country school, Jay graduated from Waukon High School. He farmed with his family and loved working with their Jersey cows and haying with his uncle Donald. In 2001, they sold the cows and Jay worked in the receiving department at Cabela's in Prairie du Chien, WI, for several years.

Ever since childhood, Jay loved putting together models, from military related ones to cars; he also liked collecting farm toys and diecast cars, particularly drag racers. He liked going to toy auctions with his brother Jeff and traveling to a fellow collector's house in Dubuque to see what he could find to expand his collection. Motorcycles and airplanes were other things he enjoyed. He'd ride with his cousins and friends as a kid and then got his own Harley as an adult; Jay went with friends to the air show in Oshkosh, WI, for many years as well. Jay had a bit of a green thumb and kept many house plants. He absolutely adored his niece and nephews, watching them grow up and help him with the farmwork; when they had kids of their own, Jay took great joy in buying his great-nieces and nephews the noisiest, most annoying Christmas gifts possible.

He is survived by his brother Jeff of Waukon; three nephews: Andrew (Jerica) of Wiggins, CO, Adam of Oelwein, IA, and Matthew Schon of Waukon; niece Scotti Lynn (Michael) Hagensick of Waukon; great-nieces and nephews: Ashten and Brantley Schon and Heath, Oliver, Ruth, and Stella Hagensick; and his beloved dog Teddy.

Jay was preceded in death by his parents.

Honorary urnbearers are Dale & David Schon, Dale Roney, Larry Gelo, Al Rasmussen, and Gus Loney.