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LUXEMBURG, Wis (WBAY) The Village of Luxemburg is mourning the loss of one of the true pillars in the community.

As we first reported Tuesday, lifelong resident and Korean War veteran Jerry Simonar passed away Monday at the age of 87 due to the coronavirus.

When we caught up with Jerry Simonar last fall, he was celebrating his birthday and signing up for an honor flight to Korea with fellow Korean War vets.

"And I think I should go," said Simonar with a big smile.

Just six weeks ago though, we found Jerry with tears in his eyes after learning the trip was cancelled

"Disappointing, I was geared up for it," said Simonar on February 28th, then adding, "All the fellas that I wanted to represent in Kewaunee County."

But he understood why the trip was cancelled, due to concern over the coronavirus.

"I didn't want to bring the sickness back, the virus back to Kewaunee or Luxemburg, I myself it wouldn't make no difference, but the other people I wouldn't want to spread that around," said Simonar at the time.

And yet today, Luxemburg is grieving the loss of Simonar due to COVID-19.

"He had excellent health, he went out in the woods, he made wood, he helped us with maple syrup, all of that, he's done the things he's always done for many years, so it sucks that this little virus ends up taking his away," says Dale Simonar, Jerry's son.

One of Jerry's six children, Dale Simonar says his father's legacy is having a pulse on the community like no other.

"If there was someone come in to town from another country and started asking questions, I'll guarantee you that person who they're asking questions to, whether it's someone down at the other end of town, at the IGA, they'd say you know what, you want information, you go up and see Jerry Simonar," says Dale Simonar.

Up until a few weeks ago, Simonar was a fixture inside his service station, next to the home he grew up in and surrounded by other Simonar businesses on the south end of town.

For his family, funeral plans remain uncertain, and sadly because of the virus, a service with military honors is unlikely.

"Dad has been in the Legion Post 262 for his whole life, he's a life member, and always remember him telling me that he buried a lot of his friends, and did a lot of those military funerals for all of his people he knew through his whole life, and the hard part is now I don't know if he's going to be able to get that same respect as he's given to everybody else," says Simonar.

But he certainly will be remembered in this community as a very young 87-year old man.

"87 years old you should be retired and relaxing, his relaxation was coming here, talking to customers, he enjoyed talking to people," says Simonar.