Jeanette Klotz

Jeanette “Jennie” Klotz, age 88, of Maple Park, passed away at home in the early hours of Monday, June 13, 2016, surrounded by the love and prayers of her family. She is now free to roam the fields of Heaven with her husband Raymond, who passed away in 2005.

She was born on August 9, 1927, in Richardson, IL, a small community, no more than a railway stop, near what is now the Sycamore Speedway.

She went to a one room schoolhouse for one year, before transferring to S.S. Peter and Paul School before graduating from Maple Park High School with the class of 1945. Following graduation, Jennie worked at the Virgil Bank as a teller and bookkeeper. She was also well versed with bank robbers and the FBI, as the bank was robbed three times, once with a knife to her throat.

Ray and Jennie met through Nick, Jennie’s brother, and cut quite the rug at Long’s Barn. On August 18, 1951 she was united in marriage to Raymond “Bud” Klotz at S. S. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Virgil.

They began their new life together back on the family farm where Raymond could resume a love affair that was second only to Jennie. While Ray tended to his beloved fields, Jennie helped make the house a home and made sure the farm ran smoothly. The family grew to include six children and kept Jennie busy until they were grown, and then she specialized in being the best grandmother ever.

She was a faithful member, and one time organist and Cenacle Guild, of St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Maple Park. Jennie was also a member of the Kane County Home Extension and monthly “club”, a group of ladies who brought various sewing projects for over 50 years.

Jennie’s faith was her bedrock and helped her overcome many adversities through perseverance and hard work. She had a humble spirit and was accepting of not only people but of the path that God had laid for her. She and Ray raised their children together and helped to instill in them the value of hard work, but also the value of having fun and sometimes a little bit of mischief. Jennie loved to sew, paint and cook to her hearts content. Jennie’s garden was always bountiful and helped to fill her pantry with canned goods each harvest. Every Saturday, Jennie made perfect homemade wheat bread and mouthwatering cinnamon bread, not to mention her cole slaw. She helped all five girls with their various 4-H projects that always included a mountain of patience. Jennie and Ray would dance to the wee hours of Sunday morning but never missed morning mass, no matter what time they made it back home. Their annual Thanksgiving celebrations were highly anticipated and numbered around 80 relatives.

She is survived by her six loving children: Sue (Bob) Jensen, Bob (Allison) Klotz, Karen (Den) Schmitt, Mary Jo (Mike) Cessna, Kate (Ken) Nelson and Lynn (Dan) Klein; 16 grandchildren: Andrea (Charlie) Boas, Jens (Leslie Elkins) Jensen, Ryan (Michelle) Jensen, Matt (Krissy) Klotz, Jeanette Klotz, Elspeth (Steve) Iwan, David (Lauren) Schmitt, Laura (Rusty) Kubis, Katherine (Adam) Katz, Brad Cessna, Brandon Nelson, Rosemary Nelson, Mark Klein, Lee Klein, Beth Klein and Anne Klein; 4 great-grandchildren: Ila and Cedar Boas, Drake Schmitt and Kelsey Klotz; one sister-in-law, Carol Fabrizius; many nieces, nephews, cousins and a countryside of friends.

She is preceded in death by her husband Raymond and one great-granddaughter, Winnie Boas.

Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m., with a Rosary Service to begin at 4:15 p.m., at the Novak Center, next to St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, Maple Park, Friday, June 17, 2016. Additional visitation will be from 9-9:45 a.m., Saturday, June 18, followed by a mass to celebrate her faith at 10 a.m., also at the church. Fr. Perfecto Vasquez, pastor of the church, will officiate with interment to follow at St. Mary Cemetery, Maple Park, IL.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established in Jeanette’s memory to help others. Checks may be made to the “Jeanette Klotz Memorial” and mailed in care of P.O. Box 66, Elburn, 60119. Tributes may also be forwarded to the same address, the Conley Funeral Home Facebook Page or at www.conleycare.com.

Additional visitation will be from 9-9:45 a.m., Saturday, June 18, followed by a mass to celebrate her faith at 10 a.m., also at the church. Fr. Perfecto Vasquez, pastor of the church, will officiate with interment to follow at St. Mary Cemetery, Maple Park, IL.

Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m., with a Rosary Service to begin at 4:15 p.m., at the Novak Center, next to St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, Maple Park, Friday, June 17, 2016.