CENTRALIA — Known for her quiet elegance and calm, kind demeanor, Jean Myers Hutter, age 86, died peacefully on May 5.
Born on Sunday, January 30th, 1938, in Centralia, Illinois to Alson Myers and Myrtle (Hallberg) Myers, Jean’s early years were shaped by the experiences shared with siblings Allen Myers, Mary (Myers) Renfro and Rose (Myers) Davidson on Myers Orchards, the family apple and peach farm founded by her parents. She attended Centralia High School, followed by Southern Illinois University for her undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Jean, acknowledged for her academic success, was also an accomplished pianist, who eagerly pursued other opportunities, including titles in beauty and talent pageants (Illinois Fruit Queen, Illinois Peach Queen).
Her professional career education included positions with the University of Kentucky, the University of Iowa and brought her back to Illinois. It’s back in her home state that Jean met the love of her life and fellow teacher, Richard Hutter. They married and shared lives devoted to family, their students and education, travel and adventure, until Dick’s death in 1995.
Jean’s dedication to education continued after her retirement from teaching at the High School level (Rich East High School, Crete-Monee High School) with a tutoring practice for college students in Math and English.
Jean is survived by her loving daughters, Holly H. Gilson and husband Matthew of Wilmette, IL and Lee Ann Hutter and husband Michael Guttman of Crown Point, IN;, her cherished grandchildren Henry Gilson, Beatrix Gilson, Breanna Hutter, and Jade Guttman, her sisters Mary Renfro of Edwardsville, IL and Rose Davidson of Charleston, IL, her sister-in-law Lena Myers of Moline, IL, several nieces and nephews and extended family members.
Jean was preceded in death by her parents: Alson and Myrtle Myers, her husband Richard Hutter, brother Allen Myers, brothers-in-law Jack Renfro, and Max Davidson.
Funeral Services for Jean M. Hutter will be held Saturday, May 11, 2024 at 1:00 pm at the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home in Centralia. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Centralia. A visitation for family and friends, will be held Saturday, May 11, 2023 at the funeral home from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests consideration of memorial donations to the Alzheimer’s Association through this link: Alzheimer’s Association .
Online condolences may be made to the family by visiting www.sutherlandfuneralhome.com.