Jean (Wittenbrink) Crane, 91, of Herrin, Illinois, passed away on July 20, 2024, with her daughter holding her hand until God led her home.
She was born on July 13, 1933, in Boyd, Illinois, the daughter of Emil and Flossie (Stone) Wittenbrink. On March 26, 1954, at Boyd Christian Church, she married her childhood sweetheart, Charles D. Crane, who passed away on December 22, 2017. She was also preceded in death by her parents and siblings, Francis Wittenbrink, Donald D. Wittenbrink, Doris Harmon, and niece Karen Davis.
Jean had a passion for teaching and dedicated 35 years to educating students in the Mt. Vernon Illinois City Schools. She taught at Grand Prairie Grade School, Summersville Grade School, Rome Grade School, West Salem Grade School, and J.L. Buford Elementary. Jean’s commitment to education led her to obtain her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education degrees from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois.
Jean had many interests and hobbies. She loved her church and friends. She loved sewing and creating handmade items for her family. She also found joy in spending time with her five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, cherishing every moment with them. Jean had a playful side and enjoyed joking around with people, especially her former students.
Throughout her life, Jean found solace and community in her places of worship. She was a Sunday School Teacher at Boyd Christian Church and later attended Southwest Christian Church, Central Christian Church in Mt, Vernon, Illinois, and First Christian Church in Herrin, Illinois. She loved our Lord Jesus and we’re confident she was greeted with open arms as she went home.
In her free time, Jean enjoyed various hobbies; including working in her yard, tending to her flowers, and decorating her house. Jean will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and all those whose lives she touched throughout her teaching career and beyond. Her dedication, love, and playful spirit will forever be remembered and cherished.
Jean is survived by her daughter, Marcia Furby and husband Jerry of Clarksville, Tennessee, and her son, Steven Crane, and wife Julie (Stahl) of Carterville, Illinois. She will also be lovingly remembered by her granddaughters; Megan (Furby) Rietman of San Diego, California, and Jenna (Crane) Dusch and husband Jeff of Billings, Montana, as well as her grandsons; Josh Crane, and wife Ali of Mattoon, Illinois, Jerrod Furby of Roscoe, Illinois, and Jake Crane and wife Brittany of Carterville, Illinois. Jean adored her eight great-grandchildren; Lillie Jean Rietman, Charlie Rietman, Kallie Rietman, Blythe Dusch, Nolan Dean Dusch, Briar Crane, Emma Jean Crane, and Maggie Crane with four of them named after her or her late husband, Charlie.
Jean is also survived by her two nieces; Deloris Jean Howard of Sand Springs, Oklahoma and Jeanne Ann Sprehe of Centralia, Illinois, and two nephews; Donald R. Wittenbrink of Dix, Illinois, and Vernon Wittenbrink of Haines, Florida.
Funeral services for Mrs. Crane will be held at 12:00 p.m. (noon), on Thursday, July 25, 2024, at Osborn Funeral Home in Dix. Burial will follow at Boyd Cemetery. Visitation will be held Thursday, July 25, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. until the hour of service, at the funeral home. Memorial gifts may be made to Boyd Christian Church and will be accepted at the service, or by mail to the Osborn Funeral Home, P.O. Box 130, Dix, Illinois 62830. Online condolences may be made at www.osbornfuneral.com, or on the Osborn Funeral Home Facebook page.
