Iris Kett, age 94, a resident of Glen Ellyn, Illinois died Monday, July 18, 2016, at Glen Oaks Hospital in Glendale Heights, Illinois. She was born March 24, 1922 in rural England to Frederick and Olive Denny.

Iris grew up in Norfolk County, England. As a young girl she was athletic and competitive, enjoyed playing soccer, and was devoted to her three siblings, caring for them after the untimely death of her mother when she was just 8 years old. She married Lewis "Kenny" Kett on January 24, 1942. In 1955, Iris and Kenny, along with their three children, emigrated to the United States and settled in the Chicago area where they had two more children.

Iris was a loving wife, mother, and homemaker for over 70 years -- she enjoyed cooking and baking English cuisine and creating a beautiful home for her large family and friends to enjoy at the many parties and picnics she planned and hostessed.

Iris was not afraid of hard work. She was a farm laborer in her early life in England and then later also assembled dinette sets at a Chicago-based factory. She also cleaned houses and worked in food service, retail, and child care roles.

She is fondly remembered as a "fashionista" even into her nineties always wearing the latest styles and looking great in them. She had many talents and was considered a master knitter who could also kick a soccer ball, hang wallpaper, bake a torte, fix a faulty appliance, and still get a "proper" English dinner on the table by 5 o'clock. She also loved gardening, bowling, a "good" cup of tea, and playing in a British card club for over 40 years. She was a very creative woman with a gift for interior decorating and hospitality. She greatly enjoyed her family, especially at Christmas, her favorite holiday. Perhaps most importantly she was a "giver" who served others willingly without hesitation every day of her life.

She is survived by her five children, Terry (Marcia) Kett of Kingwood, TX, Carol (Richard) Clark of Clarkston, MI, Keo (Sonny) Kett-Conner of Cookeville, TN, Kendra Kett of Gurnee, IL, and Kevin (Jeanice) Kett of Ft. Worth, TX, 10 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews in England and the U.S.

A memorial visitation will be held on Friday, July 22, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St., Wheaton, IL 60187, where a memorial service will be held at 7:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be directed to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital , 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105; or to the Salvation Army , P.O. Box 269, Alexandria, VA 22314.