Services for Jack Monreal, 81, of Willowick, a licensed
funeral director and embalmer, and owner-operator of Jack Monreal Funeral Home of
Willowick, will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church, 460 E. 321
St., Willowick.
Mr. Monreal died Dec. 12, 2001, at Hospice House in Cleveland.
Born June 18, 1920, in Cleveland, he lived in Bratenahl and Cleveland before moving to
Willowick 46 years ago.
A third generation funeral director and embalmer, he founded Jack Monreal Funeral Home
of Willowick in 1972, with his wife, Marilyn. Previously, he and his wife built the
funeral home in Willowick in 1955, when he was associated with Monreal Co. Funeral Home in
Cleveland, as a suburban branch. Mr. Monreal worked for 55 years, retiring in 1982, but he
continued to work part-time until 1998.
Mr. Monreal belonged to V.F.W. Post 3863 in Eastlake and American Legion Post 678 of
Willowick/Eastlake. He was a third degree Knights of Columbus Magnificat Council 4498 in
Willowick and fourth degree Knights of Columbus, Cardinal Newman Assembly in Painesville.
He was a founding member and was first Grand Commander of the Order of Alhambra, Mahdi
Caravan 142. Mr. Monreal had previously been in the third and fourth degree Knights of
Columbus and Alhambra organizations in Cleveland before transferring to the same in the
Lake County area.
He was also a member of the Cuyahoga County, and Ohio, and National Funeral Directors
associations.
Mr. Monreal was in the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion Association.
He belonged to the Holy Name Society of St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in
Willowick, and the Campion Jesuit High School Alumni Association from which he graduated
in 1938 in Wisconsin.
Mr. Monreal attended John Carroll University and the Cleveland College of Mortuary
Science.
He was a paratrooper from 1941 to 1945 as a Staff Sergeant in Headquarters Company in
the 503rd and 509th Parachute Infantry battalions. The 509th was the first American outfit
in World War II to see action in North Africa, and later in Italy, Southern France, and
Belgium in the Battle of the Bulge.
He was awarded the Purple Heart with two Oak Leaf Clusters for shrapnel wounds in Italy
and on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve in the Battle of the Bulge; the Bronze Star,
European Theatre Ribbon with six Bronze Stars, British Red Beret, 3rd Zoave French
Shoulder Braid and the Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation with one Oak leaf cluster.
He sailed on the Queen Elizabeth, making its maiden voyage as a troop ship in June 1942,
to England. Because of a high point service record for discharge, he was on the first
Liberty Ship to return to the U.S.A. He had to wait a few days at Camp Atterbury, Ind. for
the discharge process to be set up and was discharged on his 25th birthday in June of
1945. At the time of his discharge, he was one of 30 original troopers out of
approximately 3,000 men who had passed through the ranks of the 509th.
Survivors are his wife of 56 years, Marilyn (Maher); son, Jack (Debbie) Monreal;
daughter, Mardell Imhoff; grandsons, Tim Imhoff, Dan Imhoff and Jonathan Monreal;
great-granddaughter, Sierra Imhoff; sister-in-law, Geraldine Monreal; and nieces and
nephews.
His parents, William Monreal, died in 1953, and Helen Monreal, died in 1939; and his
brother, William A. Monreal, died in 1994.
Friends may call 2 to 5 Saturday, and 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Jack Monreal Funeral Home
of Willowick, East 320th and Vine streets. Burial will be in All Souls Cemetery in Chardon
Township.
The family suggests contributions to St. Mary Magdalene Church Capital Improvement
Fund, 460 E. 321 St., Willowick 44095, or Hospice of the Western Reserve, 5786 Heisley
Road, Mentor 44060. |
