Jean Crane, age 85, passed away peacefully with her husband, Ben, by her side on Wednesday, August 9, 2023. She was a recent resident of Windsor Park in Carol Stream, and previously of Wheaton for 50 years. She was born February 18, 1938, in Detroit, Michigan to Morley and Marie Gillson while Morley taught at the University of Michigan. After several years they moved to Morristown, NJ, where Morley worked at Bell Labs as a radar expert. Jean attended school there and graduated from high school with honors. She wanted to attend college to become a doctor but, having two sisters and two brothers, her father encouraged her to go into nursing instead. She enrolled in the School of Nursing at Orange Memorial Hospital in East Orange, NJ, where she received her Nursing Certificate in 1959.

Jean met Ben in the Fall of 1957 soon after he joined Bell Labs after discharge from the Army. They married June 13, 1959, in a double wedding shared with her sister Betty. They lived in the Morristown area where they had four children and Jean worked as a nurse in a pediatrician's office. In 1972 Ben was transferred to Illinois at the Bell Labs near Wheaton. They lived in Wheaton where their children attended school and grew up, first in Farnham and then downsizing to Dartmouth Village in 2015, and finally to Windsor Park in 2022.

She had a rich and varied work experience in Illinois. After briefly updating her nursing skills at College of DuPage she joined Central DuPage Hospital where she became an ICU Head Nurse, then a Nurse Clinician, and finally the CDH Admission Manager. She attended Aurora University to obtain a BS in Nursing and an MBA, while also being a wife and mother of four teenagers. She left CDH in 1987 to become a Nurse Consultant for several companies, including IBM, involving extensive travel throughout the US, until she retired in 1997. She was also involved in religious activities, serving as an Elder at the First Presbyterian Church in Wheaton, participating in the Bible Study Fellowship program for many years, and a bible study group with close friends. After joining College Church in Wheaton she and Ben joined the Veritas study group and a church small group.

Jean enjoyed sewing and reading, and was an excellent cook with many recipes. She was a sensitive and compassionate person who her friends enjoyed and admired. Sadly, she suffered various medical problems for the past twenty years that clouded her enjoyment of life, but she retained a good attitude with her faith as an anchor.

She is survived by husband Ben of 64 years; children Sue, John, Bill & Steve; sister Betty and brother Bill; and grandchildren Matthew, Luke, Sophia, Lydia & Leo. She was preceded in death by sister Ruth and brother Bob, and her mother and father.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, August 19, 2023 from 10:00 AM until the time of the Funeral Service at 11:00 AM at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St. Wheaton, IL 60187. A livestream of the service will be available here: Jean Crane Funeral Service

Family and friends may sign a guest book at hultgrenfh.com . For more information please call Hultgren's at 630-668-0027.