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- [S6] 1930 US Census.
Atkinson, Henry, IL (Roberta June Keag) Age 6 Born in IL
- [S23] 1940 US Census.
37-8, Atkinson, Henry, IL (Jane Keag) age 17, born in IL
- [S16] Findagrave.com.
Roberta Jane "Jane" Keag Kruse
Birth: Apr. 15, 1923 Geneseo Henry County Illinois, USA
Death: Jul. 30, 2009 Silvis Rock Island County Illinois, USA
Jane Kruse, 86, of Hampton, quietly passed away and into God's open arms Thursday, July 30, 2009, after a courageous battle with lung cancer. She was surrounded by her family and friends at the Genesis Medical Center, Illini Campus, Silvis. Visitation will take place 4 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 4, at Van Hoe Funeral Home, East Moline. Her funeral will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5, at Van Hoe Funeral Home with burial in Hampton City Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, Gilda's Club or other charity related to cancer prevention and treatment; or to Hampton United Methodist Church.
Roberta "Jane" Keag was born to Bill and Marion Keag on April 15, 1923, on her father's farm just outside Geneseo. She was known as Jane to most who knew her. Jane graduated as valedictorian from Geneseo High School in 1940. She attended Illinois State Normal University in Normal, Ill., and completed her two-year junior college curriculum and received her degree June 1944. Jane started teaching in Annawan Grade School and remained there until she married Warren Daniel Kruse of nearby Cambridge, on June 15, 1947.
Their first child, a son, Robert "Bob," was born in October 1948. After living a short time in Moline, and then several years in Chicago, Jane and Warren found a nice home in Hampton which they purchased and in which she has lived ever since. Their second child, another son, William "Bill," was born in June 1952, followed by daughter Marcia in December 1953, and finally their youngest son, Richard "Rick" in March 1959.
Jane was very active and devoted to her United Methodist Church in Hampton, where she became a member in 1953. She was constantly volunteering to do whatever was needed, teaching Sunday school, being a member and frequent officer in the Women's Society, piano player and a member of the church's small but mighty choir for many years as she loved to sing.
Jane's teaching skills came in very handy as she tutored her son, Bob, throughout his entire first year to keep him up with his class as he was in Moline Public Hospital in Moline recovering from polio. And as her children began attending Hampton Elementary School, she did her part by being very active in the PTA organization, being president and vice-president for a number of years. On May 22, 1969, Jane was awarded an Honorary Life Membership from Illinois Congress of Parents and Teachers for her dedication. She was a Cub Scout leader, a Girl Scout leader, a 4-H leader, a UTHS Band Parent and participated in a number of other youth oriented organizations.
When her youngest son, Rick, started school, Jane decided to go back to work as a school teacher at the Carbon Cliff Grade School. She taught first grade and eventually kindergarten and remained there as a teacher for nearly 25 years before she retired in 1989. Having only a two-year teaching degree, Jane was determined to get her four-year degree as most other teachers at her school. So while raising her four children and being active in their lives, she somehow found the time to take classes at Black Hawk College and at Marycrest College in Davenport where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in July 1973.
With her great love for singing, Jane became involved with Harmony Incoporated in 1973 and several years later was a member of the local women's barbershop chorus, the Multi-Chords, when they won the international championship. She was a member and frequent officer for the chorus which was active until 1998. Jane was actively singing whenever she had the chance not only in the chorus but also in several women's barbershop quartets. Her group would sing at parties and entertain at many nursing homes. Her last quartet was the Generation 4.
Her most recent music interests were in her great-granddaughter, Adrienne Jane Evans, AJ for short, who also loves singing. Jane had been paying AJ's way to be in musical theater the past four years. Luckily, Jane was able to see AJ shine in the feature role of Annie in the Annie Junior musical held at Center 4 Living in Rock Island last April 25.
Other interests included reading, sewing all of her own clothes, ice skating with favorites Scott Hamilton and Michelle Kwan, drum corps; TV shows American Idol, Lawrence Welk; singers Clay Aiken and Josh Groban.
Preceding her in death were both her parents William and Marion Keag and her daughter-in-law, Oksana Kruse from Sevastopol, Ukraine who died in March 2009 from liver cancer.
Surviving family members include her children, Bob, Marcia and Bill (Ruth) Kruse all of Hampton, Rick Kruse, Aurora, Colo.; grandchildren, Seth and Sean Kruse and Amanda Ross, Moline; great-grandchildren, AJ Evans, Kameren and Lennon Ross all of Moline, and Kolton Kruse, Moline; sisters, Nellie (Joe) Wright and Norma Lodge both of Geneseo. The family would like to acknowledge their sincere and heartfelt gratitude to Jane's " singing " friends Cathy Johnson, Anne Cheffer, Sandie Luster and Pauline Andrews for all you have done for us and our mother.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.vanhoe.com.
Family links: Parents: William Earnest Keag (1895 - 1975) Clara Marion Ward Keag (1898 - 1988)
Children: Marcia Jane Kruse (1953 - 2009)*
Burial: Hampton Township Cemetery Hampton Rock Island County Illinois, USA
- [S6] 1930 US Census.
Atkinson, Henry, IL William & Marion Keag married at ages 22 & 19
- [S83] Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763 - 1900.
KEAG, WILLIAM ERNEST & WARD, CLARA MARIAN (1918-02-07) 4 /70 12875 HENRY
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