HENRY — Jeanne Porter Dewey, age 92, of Henry, passed away on Monday, August 13, 2012, at Buehler Home in Peoria. 

She was born October 15, 1919, at Round Hill, Alberta, Canada, the daughter of Grace Sehnert and Carl Hyers Porter. She married Robert V. Dewey on June 12, 1943 in Pekin.

Surviving are two sons, Robert V. (Lauri) Dewey Jr. of Peoria and David E. (Pamela) Dewey of Paducah, KY.; five granddaughters, Carolyn (Peter) Dewey Meisel, Laura Dewey, Elizabeth Dewey, Andrea Dewey, and Megan Dewey; two stepgrandchildren, Dr. Mark (Jennifer) Shima and Carolyn Shima; one brother, Carl (Marlynn) Porter of Peoria, and several cousins as well as a number of nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; two sisters, and one son, Charles Porter Dewey.

Jeanne graduated from Pekin High School, attended Bradley University, and the University of Iowa. When her father became ill she left college to go to work. She was working for Pekin Farmers Grain Company, managed by her father, when she met her future husband, Bob Dewey, who was working for W.W. Dewey & Sons, another grain dealer.

Jeanne and Bob were married at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Pekin on June 12, 1943. They lived in Henry where Bob managed the W.W. Dewey & Sons grain elevator. Following her husband’s death in 1991, Jeanne continued to live in Henry until June, 2011, when she moved to Buehler Home in Peoria.

Jeanne was active in many church and civic activities. She was a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church, now St. John’s Anglican Church, where she was a lay reader, Sunday School teacher, vestry member, and a delegate to the National Episcopal Church Convention. She was a member of the Henry Library Board, a Boy Scout den mother, and a co-chair of American Red Cross Blood Drives. She served on the planning committee of the, new at that time, Henry Grade School, and served on the first Henry Zoning Committee. She was a volunteer and board member of the Marshall County Historical Society, a charter member of The Charles Perdew Museum Association, a member of the Lacon Country Club, the Ladies Golf League, an RSVP volunteer, and a volunteer for the Republican Party. With her sons, she established an annual Henry Chamber of Commerce College Scholarship in memory of her husband.

Jeanne was a caring and loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. Along with her husband, she was a wonderful role model for their sons and granddaughters, teaching them the virtues of honesty, hard work, and the golden rule. She loved to travel and was an avid reader with eclectic tastes. Jeanne was skilled in embroidery and needlepoint, enjoyed gardening and refinishing furniture, and continued to play golf and bridge into her 90’s. She especially enjoyed spending time with her five granddaughters who were her greatest pride and joy. Jeanne touched many lives and will be greatly missed.

Jeanne and her family greatly appreciate the loving care and attention she received from the staff at Buehler Home the last days of her life.

Visitation is scheduled at Calvert & Johnson Memorial Home, 513 Carroll Street, in Henry on Thursday, August 16, from 4:00–7:00 p.m. The funeral Mass, officiated by the Reverend Canon Frank R. Dunaway III, will be held at St. John’s Anglican Church, 801 Third Street, in Henry on Friday, August 17 at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow in the Henry Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. John’s Anglican Church, the Robert V. Dewey Scholarship Fund, c/o Citizens First National Bank, 606 South Main Street, Princeton, IL 61356, or the Charles Perdew Museum Association, 914 Front Street, P.O. Box 103, Henry, IL 61537.

To express tributes and condolences online, visit www.calvertmemorial.com.