Brilliant Deaf Athlete Is Dead After Collapse

Frank Jahnel, 25, Ex Star with Nebraska Deaf, Dies At His Home

Became Ill While Playing Cage Game

Funeral Services Friday for Athlete Who Overcame Handicap of Being a Deaf Mute and Became Star of Gridiron and Court.

Victim of a sudden heart attack, Frank E. Jahnel, 25, former star athlete with the Nebraska School for the Deaf, died at 9:30 p.m. Monday at the home of his parents, Mrs. And Mrs. Will Jahnel, south of Blair.

Jahnel collapsed last week while playing basketball at the Dana college gymnasium with a group of Blair players and had been confined to his home since. Totally deaf since being affirmed with illness when only a few months old, he had overcome the handicap of being unable to speak or hear.

Born March 19, 1913, he secured all his education at the Nebraska School for the Deaf, from which institution he was graduated only a few years ago, and for several seasons was their star football and basketball player. Since completing his education, he had farmed with his father on the Jahnel farm, six miles south of Blair on the Bennington road. Well-known and popular, the youth was keenly interested in all athletic events, and rarely missed any football, basketball or baseball games in Blair.

Surviving Mr. Jahnel are his parents and four sisters, Mrs. Frank Henricksen of Blair, Mrs. Wallace Johnson of south of Blair, Marian and Margaret, at home.

The body was brought to the Bendorf Funeral Home. Services will be held at the Jahnel farm residence at 2 p.m. Friday, the Rev. W. H. Gorde, Bennington Lutheran minister officiating. Interment will follow in the German Cemetery.

Note: Since no death date was given, the news article date was used.