Jeff Vrstal
Production Specialist 

Jeffrey Vrstal, age 64, passed away at home on Wednesday November 1, 2023. He was born on October 3, 1959, in Berwyn, IL, the son of Richard (Rick) and Penelope (Ford) Vrstal. He graduated from Warren High School in 1977. He married Debbie Scheider in 1979 and together they had three children: Shayna, Lindsey, and Nick. While raising their family, Jeff worked various times as a carpet installer, meat cutter, and telemarketer, while establishing himself as a talented graphic artist. He founded Moonlight Graphics and later moved to Evansville, WI to marry Tanya Oemig in 2000 and open Main Street Signs.

As a relative newcomer to Evansville, Jeff quickly became indispensable as the local sign maker whose opinion was sought in creating the local sign ordinance. He served on the city plan commission under two mayors. Beyond creating business graphics and studio photography, he held office hours that local business owners and residents used to drop in for unhurried chats. During the last two years, he joined his daughter and son-in-law at Sign Art Studio where he enjoyed being part of a talented team. Despite his decades in the graphic arts, he mostly identified as “an old meat cutter.”

Jeff loved music and grew up playing piano and trombone. At age 50, he taught himself to play violin and for several years he posted his “fiddle-tune-a-day” to his YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@jsv5993

He will be remembered for his wit and sense of humor. He was progressive in his values, patient with people, passionate and creative and very attentive to detail, endlessly energetic, dedicated to excellence, and fearless-- except for heights. He learned to really enjoy life, even if he worked more hours than people half his age.

His back porch was his happy place, especially once he got the Red Rider BB Gun last year that he wasn't allowed as a kid. He loved being outside, whether to manicure the lawn or garden vegetables and flowers, hike, kayak, and explore ever-evolving food hobbies.

On his 64th birthday last month, he had a mini-existential crisis, saying he "needed to figure [stuff] out." But when asked, “Are there people you love and who love you?" "Yes," he said. In answer to “What else is there?” he took a trip to Canada.

Jeff is survived by his children Shayna Lincoln (Scott), Lindsey Yoder (Dan), and Nick Vrstal (Chivone); stepchildren Jacob and Zachary Beyer; his girlfriend Sarah Krause: grandchildren Brycen and Macyn Lincoln, Kiah Guzman (Daniel), Jack Yoder, Max Vrstal, Blake “Blakob” LaDow; brother Martin Vrstal (Raeann); stepmother Sharon Wilson Vrstal; and other extend family members by blood and by choice. He was preceded in death by his parents Rick and Penelope and infant brother Joseph.