Theatrice Jeanna Howe
- Born: 27 Aug 1932, Lincoln, Logan, Illinois, United States 1
- Marriage (1): Wayne Bryson Febus
- Died: 30 Jul 2016, Normal, McLean, Illinois, United States at age 83 1
Noted events in her life were:
• Obituary: The Pantagraph, 2 Aug 2016, Bloomington, McLean, Illinois, United States. 1
Theatrice Jeanne Febus NORMAL '97 Theatrice Jeanne Febus, 83, Normal, died peacefully Saturday (July 30, 2016) in her sleep at her home.
Jeanne was born Aug. 27, 1932, in Lincoln. Her parents were Kenneth Howe and Eva Theatrice Davis Howe of Latham. She was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne Bryson Febus; her parents; her brothers, Kenneth, Pete and George; and her sisters, Mary and Dora.
She is survived by her daughter, Cynthia Febus Hill, Elgin, and her brother, Richard Howe, Boone, N.C.
Jeanne's mother died in a car accident when she was 9 years old, and she and her sister, Mary, helped her father run the household and raise the other siblings. Her siblings appreciated her for her calmness and patience. She enjoyed learning and excelled at all of her scholastic endeavors.
Jeanne met her soulmate Wayne in 1948, when he drove into the town square in his convertible that was filled with other girls. Although their personalities were very different, they shared similar values and complemented one another perfectly. They were married Sept. 5, 1950, at First Christian Church, Latham, when she was 18 and he was 25 years of age. Wayne built their first home in Peoria, where their first and only child Cynthia was born. In 1963, they moved to Normal, where Jeanne worked as a real estate secretary and then as a bookkeeper for more than 30 years at Redbird Apartment Management.
Jeanne had many friends with whom she spent time over the years. She was known for having an intellect and was mentally strong, opinionated and a realist. Jeanne possessed wisdom beyond her years, and always stressed the importance of looking at both sides of every argument. Although she only had a high school education, she was a prolific reader and was highly intelligent. She was a great listener, reminding her daughter and others that you learn more from listening than talking. She believed in and led a balanced life and encouraged her daughter to do the same. Her philosophy was that with hard work a person could achieve anything that they set their mind to do.
Jeanne was known by her friends and family as a pillar of strength. She trusted her own instincts, kept her emotions close to the vest and was a very good judge of character. All her friends had the utmost respect for her and her opinion. Even though she faced many challenges in her life, she always faced them head on. Jeanne rarely, if ever, complained and refused to ever feel sorry for herself. She felt blessed to have a husband and daughter whom she loved so much and a happy marriage that lasted until Wayne's death in 2006.
Jeanne loved golf and won quite a few golf tournaments. She was an avid reader of fiction, loved playing bridge, watching the Cubs and doing crossword puzzles. Although she never liked to cook, she did enjoy cleaning and spending time at home in the kitchen with her friends, having a cup of coffee and smoking cigarettes. She would share with friends and family how blessed she felt with all that God had given her. She loved the Lord deeply and prayed every night before bedtime.
A graveside ceremony in her honor will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Mount Pulaski Cemetery, located on Illinois Route 10 just west of Illinois Route 121. Donations in her name, Jeanne Febus, can be mailed to Normal Public Library, 206 W. College Ave., Normal, IL 61761, or to Wounded Warrior Project, 230 W. Monroe St., Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60606. Services are entrusted to Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home, Mount Pulaski.
Theatrice married Wayne Bryson Febus. (Wayne Bryson Febus was born on 11 Dec 1925 in Lake Fork, Logan, Illinois, United States 2 3 4 and died on 29 Jan 2006 in Normal, McLean, Illinois, United States 2 3.)
|