Funeral services for Ruth Elizabeth Hallenstein (nee Klockenbusch) a former area journalist, will be held on Tuesday, November 13 at 10 a.m. at St. John Lutheran Church, 125 E. Seminary, Wheaton.
Born April 26, 1923, in Joliet, she died November 10, 2007 at Central Du Page Hospital in Winfield, Illinois. Interment will be in Lincoln Memorial Park, Aurora.
Mrs. Hallenstein grew up in Joliet. She was a graduate of Joliet Township High School, Joliet Junior College and attended the University of Illinois in Champaign. She began her journalism career in 1943 as a society editor for the Joliet Herald News. A few years after her marriage in 1946 to Ralph Hallenstein, the couple moved to Aurora where she did freelance writing for various organizations in Kane County. She joined the staff of the Du Page County Times in Wheaton in 1967 and became editor of the paper the following year earning various state and national awards during the nine years she spent as its editor. In 1976 she began a 13-year affiliation with the College of Du Page Public Information Office heading its news bureau.
Since her retirement from College of Du Page in 1989, Mrs. Hallenstein continued providing publicity for St. John Lutheran Church and in recent years wrote a monthly feature on various parishioners and clergymen for the church's monthly news letter. During her years of membership in St. John she served on a number of boards, was a member of the Alter Guild, did community ministry at area nursing homes and was an active member of the church's JOY group.
Mrs. Hallenstein and her husband moved to Wheaton in 1972 after residing in Aurora for 20 years where they raised their two sons. In addition to her family and the newspaper world, books where the love of her life and she took great pride in her extensive library. She was a member of various journalistic (Du Page Press Association and Suburban Press Club) and literary organizations as well as the College of Du Page Retirees Association.
Mrs. Hallenstein was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph H. Hallenstein, a son, Blair B. Hallenstein, and her parents, Bernard and Minnie Klockenbusch.
She is survived by her son, Craig of Woodstock; grandchildren, Natalie, Rider, Cory, Summer, Emily, Christopher and Tanner; daughter-in-law, Linda Hallenstein, two sisters, Charlotte Chandler of Lockport, and Eleanor Klockenbusch of Wheaton; three nephews and a niece.
Visitation will be held from 3:30 until 7 p.m. on Monday, November 12 at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St. in Wheaton. Memorials may be directed to St. John Lutheran Church, the Joy group or the Lutheran Hour.
Family and friends may sign a guest book at hultgrenfh.com. For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.