Helen Jane Hutchins, a longtime resident of Wheaton, IL, died peacefully on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at the age of 101. Jane was born to Helen and Carl Zelle on January 25, 1925, during an ice storm at her grandparents’ farm house in Lake Fork, IL.

Jane grew up in Tolono, IL, and met her future husband, Gardner “Bud” Hutchins, one Sunday evening after church in nearby Champaign. She was on her way to Wheaton College the next day, but they stayed in touch and were married on August 18, 1945. In 1951 they moved to Wheaton, where they raised their three children. They were married for 63 years before Bud’s death in 2008.

Jane worked alongside Bud in their graphic design business, Design Promotion – Bud doing the creative work and Jane managing the business side. Jane’s creative side found expression in knitting and sewing (from clothing for her family to curtains for their house to table skirts for the trade show displays that Design Promotion produced).

Jane and Bud attended Wheaton Bible Church. Over the 75 years Jane was a member there she served as a deaconess, taught Kindergarten Sunday School and hosted women’s circles in her home.

Jane and Bud were blessed to have all of their family living close by, and their house was the place where the family gathered, especially for holiday meals. The cousins enjoyed sleepovers together and sometimes stopped by on their way home from school. Grandma Jane always had a smile and a tin of goodies waiting for them. Over the years her grandchildren developed close bonds with their cousins, bonds that will last a lifetime.

Jane is survived by her daughters, Cynthia (Bill) Koechling and Carol (Dan) Balow; 12 grandchildren: Nathan (Jennifer) Hutchins, Ben (Mindy) Koechling, Jesse (Mel) Koechling, Eric (Julie) Hutchins, Elizabeth (Kevin) Dedoe, David (Hannah) Balow, Sarah Koechling, Joel Hutchins, Andy (Kara) Koechling, Tim Balow, Katie (Bryan) Pickard, Mary (Adam) Luxich; and 22 great-grandchildren: Elise (fiancé Sam), Evan, Emma, Ryan, Lucas, Samantha, Elizabeth, Noah, Emily, Henry, William, Hattie, Harper, Dorothy, Adeline, Matilda, Cora, Zoe, Ellie, Emery, Crew, Layne.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Gardner Hutchins; her son, Richard Hutchins; and her older brother and only sibling, Louis Franklin Zelle.

A memorial service will be held at Wheaton Bible Church at a later date. A private burial service was held at Wheaton Cemetery.

Memorial gifts may be directed to Wheaton Bible Church.