Carol Jean Peterson

KEWANEE – Carol Jean Peterson, 88, of Mokena, IL, formerly of Kewanee, died Friday, November 6 at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, IL.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, November 14 at Rux Funeral Home in Kewanee.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to the services at the funeral home.  Burial will be in Pleasant View Cemetery in Kewanee where military rites will be accorded by the Kewanee Veterans Council.  Memorials may be directed to a charity of the donor's choice. 

Jean was born on November 14, 1926 to Clifford and Grace (Mahaffey) Cully.  She joined her brother, John, and her baby sister, Donna. She was born and raised in Kewanee and graduated from Kewanee High School in 1944.  Shortly after high school, she joined the US Cadet Nurses Corp.  She continued her training with the St. Francis Nurses program, earning her Registered Nurse degree in 1946.  Jean defined herself as a nurse.  She was passionate about her profession. She worked at both St. Francis and Kewanee Public hospitals in Kewanee.  She was the Director of Nurses at Hillcrest Home (Henry County Convalescent Home) and later served the Kewanee area in the Osco Drug Pharmacy Department.  She worked in Frankfort, IL at Hedges Clinic for 19 years and also as a school nurse at Chelsey Schools.  She was a member of the St. Francis Retired Nurses Association, Good Shepherd Church and its Women's Club in Frankfort and St. Peter's Evangelical UCC in Kewanee.

In July 1989, Jean married the love of her life, Leonard Peterson.  Jean moved with Len to Frankfort, IL.  After retiring from working at Hedges Clinic, she continued nursing, working as a volunteer with the Wound Unit of Silver Cross Hospital.  She had a special knack for nursing, being able to provide diagnosis - sometimes with just a look.  She took great pride in her nursing skills and knowledge.

Jean and Len were blessed with almost twenty-five years of married life.  They were able to travel to many places in Europe, Hawaii and many other US states.  Jean provided the best private duty care for Len for over three years before his death in 2011.  Jean was preceded in death by Len, her parents, and her siblings.  She is survived by her daughters, Kathryn Ricker and Karen (John) Heidemann and grandchildren, Sarah (Erik) Nolte, Rachel (James) Weber, Aaron (Sarah) Heidemann, John Ricker and Cydney Ricker, great-grandchildren, Taylor and Travis Nolte and Elliot and Leah Weber.

Carol Jean's family wants to thank her friends at Silver Cross Hospital, Pastor Kevin Hahn, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Frankfort, the St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kewanee and countless friends throughout the years.  

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