Dorothy Jean Watt, age 88, a longtime resident of Wheaton, IL, died Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at Wynscape Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Wheaton.

She was born April 11, 1921 in Canton, IL, and graduated from Canton High School in 1939. She attended Stephens College, received her BS in home economics from the University of Colorado in 1943 and her Master of Education from the University of Missouri in 1950.

Jean, as she was known, was a dean at Stephens College. She worked as a travel guide and led tours around the world. She returned to education taking a sixth-grade teaching position in LaGrange in 1958. She then became part of District 200 in Wheaton in 1960. She was a guidance counselor at Wheaton Central High School for 25 years. She was well known for her school spirit, dedication and affection for the students. After retirement, she was called out of retirement six times and worked for another 11 years for District 200 at the middle school level at Wheaton Warrenville, Franklin and Edison Middle Schools. Her love for the students never allowed her to clean and organize every nook and cranny of her home, as she intended to do when she first retired in 1985.

She had many interests including travel, photography, music and dogs. She led many tours around the world, taking students on cross-country bus/camping tours and to Hawaii on spring break, and would venture out on her own on cross-country automobile trips - in one of her numerous cars. Her favorite places were Hong Kong, Japan and Colorado, although she would often say anywhere she'd been was a favorite. She owned property in the mountains of Colorado, which she would frequently visit and dreamed of building a home there. She played violin in community orchestras and in churches. She was active in PEO Chapter JO, Kiwanis, and Gary Methodist Church, volunteered at First Division Museum at Cantigny, led tours through the Underground Railroad at the Wheaton History Center and tutored at the Community Outreach Center. She could often be seen around town riding a bicycle, Vespa motor scooter, Chevy Blazer (fire engine red) or one of her many convertibles (often a bright yellow classic Volkswagen Beetle) or in her large yard on her riding mower.

Her approach to life was to take what's come her way and run with it, be it bad or good, often with a sarcastic wit. She treated her students as if they were her own children, sometimes working with their children as students. She'd enjoy running into her former students as they lived and worked in the community. Some of the teachers she worked with at Edison had been her former students.

In 2002, the City of Wheaton presented her with the Good Citizen Award in recognition of her Outstanding and Dedicated Service.

She is survived by her sister-in-law, Irene Ther Watt of Wheaton; her nephew, David Howard (Julia) Watt of Wheaton; her niece, Ruth Watt Macadam (Eric) Berger of Detroit; her grand nieces, Erin Noelle Watt and Meghan Jeanine Watt; and her grand nephews, David Edward Macadam and Daniel Robert Macadam.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John "Earl" and Mary "Cecile" Watt; and brother Phillip Howard Watt.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2009, from 3-9 P.M. at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St., in Wheaton. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, October 4, at 2:00 P.M. at Gary United Methodist Church, 224 N. Main St., in Wheaton. Interment is private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be directed to the Kiwanis Club of Wheaton Charitable Foundation, PO Box 33, Wheaton, IL 60187; or to Gary United Methodist Church, 224 N. Main St., Wheaton, Illinois 60187.