Jeanette Elaine Antoniuk

D owners Grove , IL

December 9, 1924—March 25, 2023

Jeanette Antoniuk walked into the arms of her Savior on March 25, 2023, at the age of 98. She loved to travel (eventually visiting 24 countries), attend plays. read mystery novels, and play with her grandson, but most of all she loved to tell people about her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Born on December 9, 1924 , she grew up in Chicago with h er parents , Dr. Charles and Emma ( Fliege ) Porter , and younger brother, Charles Allan Porter, who joined the family when she was seven. D uring most of her childhood her father was Associate Pastor to Dr. H. A. Ironside of The Moody Memorial Church in Chicago.

Following graduation from North Park Academy in Chicago, Jeanette earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1946 from Bob Jones University, formerly located in Cleveland, TN, where she majored in speech and participated in the productions of several Shakespearean dramas.

In 1947 s he went to Argentina as a missionary. Six months later, she met S tephen Antoniuk , who had recently arrived in Argentina after serving in the United Kingdom 's Royal Air Force Expatriate Division during World War II . They were married April 9, 1949, in Rosario, Argentina.

The young couple began serving as missionaries with Slavic Gospel Association in the city of Córdoba. Later they moved to Bahía Blanca, and then to Buenos Aires. After changing missions to the New Testament Missionary Union, they moved to El Dorado, where Steve planted churches throughout the province of Misiones, while Jeanette was involved in ministry to women and children. From El Dorado, they moved to Resistencia, Chaco. During these years they added Elaine Louise , Stephen Charles, and Daniel Edward to their family.

In 1970, u pon concluding their ministry in Argentina, the Antoniuks moved to Evanston, IL, where they began serving with International Students, Inc. (ISI) . Their ministry with ISI involved o utreach on the campus of Northwestern University to international students, and forming lifelong friendships with many of them . They held weekly meals at their ho m e, befriending students and helping them learn American customs, and took them on many trips to attractions in the Chicago area and to national parks around the country. During this time Jeanette earned a Master of Arts in linguistics from Northeastern Illinois University, and began teaching English to the wives and children of students. After Steve passed away in 1982, Jeanette continued to serve with ISI a t the Northwestern campus until 1993 , when she began a ministry among internationals at Fermilab and Argonne National Laboratory . She continued in that ministry until retiring in 201 1 at the age of 87. Two or three years before her retir ement, she also began mentoring young missionaries as Field Development Coach .

Jeanett e served with English Language Institu t e Ch ina (ELIC) in China for two months each in the summers of 1987, 1990, and 1991, where she taught advanced English courses to Chinese English teachers and made many more friends.

After moving to Fairview Baptist Home (now Oak Trace) in Downers Grove in 1993, Jeanette began leading weekly Bible studies with other residents, which she continued until shortly before her 98th birthday. She was a member of Western Springs Baptist Church in Western Springs, IL.

Preceded in death by her parents , her husband, Ste ve , and her brother, Ch uck , she is survived by three children, Elaine Fulton of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, Steve Antoniuk of San Francisco, CA, and Dan Antoniuk (Donna) of Edinburg, TX; two grandchildren, Tess and Danny (Anna); and numerous friends around the world.

A memorial gathering will be held on Thursday, April 6, 2023 at Oak Trace in the Great Hall, 250 Village Dr., Downers Grove, IL. Memorial gifts may be directed to International Students, Inc., P.O. Box C, Colorado Springs, CO 80901, or to Rio Grande Bible Ministries, Fund 821, 4300 S. Business Highway 281, Edinburg, TX, 78539.