Jean Smith Nelson, 100, of Peoria, Illinois, formerly of Nauvoo, passed away peacefully on March 4, 2024, at her home in Lutheran Hillside Village.
She was born on June 5, 1923, in Oakville, Iowa, the daughter of David Howard Smith and Lillian Bernice (nee Russell) Smith and was the second oldest of four children. She married Joseph Lewis Nelson of Nauvoo, Illinois, on December 24, 1941, and had three children: Joseph Randall, Jeffry Brooks and Jon Howard. Jean attended Wapello Grade School and graduated from Wapello Consolidated High School.
Jean was preceded in death by her parents: Howard and Lillian; brother: DeLos; baby sister: Fay; and her husband: Joseph Lewis.
Survivors include sister: Joan Smith Rice of Sacramento, California; sons: Joseph of Overland Park, Kansas; Jeffry (MaryAnn) of Chicago, Illinois, and Jon of Verona, Wisconsin; granddaughters: Catherine and Jill and five great grandchildren.
As teens, Jean and Betty Baxter of Nauvoo, Illinois, were friends, and together they attended and later were counselors at the King’s Daughters summer camp in Montrose, Iowa, across the Mississippi River from Nauvoo. After camp, the girls would spend an extra week at each other’s homes. While visiting Betty in Nauvoo, Jean was introduced to a handsome young man, Jody Nelson. They were engaged and later married on Christmas Eve, 1941; a marriage that lasted 62 years until Joe’s death in 2003.
During WWII, Joe enlisted and became an Army Air Corp officer and a pilot. Stationed stateside as an advanced training instructor for fighter pilot cadets, Joe and Jean spent the war years moving to and from numerous Air Corp bases in the South. Jean found employment and education opportunities at each location. During this time, Jean graduated from Illinois Commercial College, and took continuing education courses at University of Illinois, University of Tennessee, and University of Wisconsin. While stationed in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Jean worked on the Manhattan Project, where the atomic bomb was developed.
After the war the couple moved to Seattle, Washington, where Joe, a pilot by training and an industrial designer by education, worked his dream job at Boeing. Soon, however, they were asked to return to Nauvoo to manage the family’s electric utility, Nauvoo Electric Light and Power Company.
After the power company was sold, Joe built a career in design and management with major manufacturers in several states, while he and Jean raised their three sons.
Jean had many interests, often acquired from her travels, both domestic and abroad. She was a lifelong, voracious reader with always one, if not two, books going at the same time. Her particular interest in history and biographies made for many interesting conversations. Jean was also a highly accomplished seamstress, making her own dresses, coats and a variety of sweaters and wearing apparel. She also enjoyed quilting and loved to gift her works to her children and grandchildren. She continued to enjoy music, growing up as a pianist and later as a follower of the Peoria Symphony.
Jean was a Nauvoo Historical Docent and led many busloads of tourists around historic Nauvoo, explaining the historical impact that both Mormon and later French Icarian settlers had on Illinois history. By 1844, Nauvoo was actually the largest city in Illinois (today, the population of Nauvoo is 950).
As varied as Jean’s interests appear, her love of shopping remained the undisputed focus of many, if not all, her adventures.
Always cheerful, optimistic, and energetic, Jean made friends easily everywhere she went. During her life, Jean was active in several community, service, recreational and church organizations including: the Methodist WSCS, the YWCA, her many Book Clubs and P.E.O.
In 1981 Jean and Joe moved back to Nauvoo to the family home on Knight Street. When Joe retired in 1986, they decided to reside in Nauvoo and travel. They enjoyed attending and even instructing Elder Hostiles around the country. In 2001, Jeff and Mary Ann, then of Peoria, Illinois, invited them to consider living at Lutheran Hillside Village, which had yet to break ground. Jean and Joe moved from Nauvoo to Liberty Village, in Peoria, while work on LHV was under way. They spent a number of days in the mobile offices behind the LHV construction site talking to Phil King about the wonderful experience awaiting them when LHV was completed. They moved in as soon as the “paint was dry,” becoming two of LHV’s inaugural residents. Jean thoroughly enjoyed LHV remarking once that LHV was the longest period of time she had ever lived anywhere.
Joe passed away on July 3, 2003, and Jean continued to live in Lutheran Hillside Village and later Samaritan, until her passing in 2024. At the time of her death, Jean was the second longest resident of LHV.
During her life, Jean accumulated a large collection of books which were donated to Lutheran Hillside Village’s several libraries in her name.
Beloved Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother, Jean will forever be remembered for her cheerful, optimistic, and witty nature and the love she freely and relentlessly gave to her entire family. She was always happy to see us. God Bless you Mom. We will miss you.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
Schmitz - Banks & Beals Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. On-line condolences to the family may be left at www.sbbfuneralhome.com.
