Jane Bennett, age 93, resident of Wheaton, passed away on Friday, October 6, 2017, at Wynscape Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Wheaton, Illinois.  She was born July 22, 1924 in Granite City, Illinois.

The second of four children born to Charles and Nannie Turner, Jane grew up in Granite City.  Being raised in humble dwellings, her loving and faith driven household taught a strong work ethic which shaped Jane's life for all her days. Her early years included playing the violin and learning to sew. In her teens, her family relocated to Millstadt, IL where she graduated from Belleville HS in 1942. Jane went on to earn her Bachelor's Degree in Education from the University of Illinois in 1945 after transferring from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. From there she went on to teach High School Spanish in Olney, Illinois.  Through mutual friends she was introduced to Robert Bennett on a blind date and both were smitten at first site. They were married in 1946.   After Bob earned his teaching degree, they started their family in Central Illinois before relocating to Wheaton in 1961.

In Wheaton, while continuing to raise their three children, Bob and Jane joined Geneva Road Baptist Church, which became the source of many lifelong friendships, clubs, Bible study and worship. Jane was heavily involved in many of the mission projects including Central Baptist Children's Home. She led the annual Holiday Splendor fund raising campaign for many years. Jane cherished the time spent and spiritual rejuvenation she found during the women's retreats held at the Central Baptist Assembly in Green Lake, WI. In addition to their Church activities, Bob and Jane enjoyed nature and the Arts. Jane was a talented seamstress. She also enjoyed knitting, crocheting and cross stitching. They were members of the Morton Arboretum, Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Wheaton College Concert Series. Jane was also a proud sponsor of WFMT. Jane was a generous supporter of the University of Illinois Foundation and a lifelong U of I Alumni Association Member.

Jane's foundation for her life was her faith, and her life was centered on service to her Lord and love for her family. She and Bob were married 61 years. Jane thrived on being a mother to Ron, Nancy and Cheryl, nurturing strengths and talents in each. She knew how to stretch the household budget yet always managed to carry on family traditions and celebrations through the years. She joyously embraced becoming a grandmother. She and Bob loved every minute babysitting, attending each grandchild's concert or recital, helping out with music lessons and passing on their love of nature and art through regular trips to the Morton Arboretum, museums, Brookfield Zoo, The Shed Aquarium and the Chicago Art Institute. Jane dearly loved her parents, her siblings, nieces and nephews, her husband, her children, her sons and daughter-in-law, her grandchildren and all her lifelong friends. She and Bob never wavered in their love, support and pride for all.

In recent years she has been living at Wynscape Nursing and Rehabilitation Center where, for the past eight years, she bravely and unselfishly participated in the Memory and Aging Project at the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center.
She is survived by her children, Ron (Ellen) Bennett of Cumming, GA, Nancy (Tim) Staal of Holland, MI, and Cheryl (Russ) Weber of Wheaton, IL, four grandchildren, Kate Page, Derek Weber, Amy Page and Dana Weber, and one sister, Barbara Bigham of Maryville, IL, two nieces and a nephew.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert, her parents, her brothers, Charles and Don, her niece Tamara and nephew Scott.

Memorial gifts may be directed to Alzheimer's Association National Office, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601, alz.org or to Morton Arboretum.

A visitation for Jane will take place at the Thornhill Education Center of Morton Arboretum, in the Founders Room, 4100 IL-53, Lisle, IL 60532 on Saturday, November 11, 2017 from 1:00pm until the time of service at 2:00pm.