Jean Angus Reeve

Jean Angus Reeve, 92, formerly of El Dara, died Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012, at 12:50 p.m. at Pleasant Hill Village, Girard, IL, where she had lived since 2010. She leaves a son Stewart (Lela) of Springfield, IL, and daughters Elizabeth Burnett (James) of Kaufman, TX, and Margaret Stephens (husband Ron deceased) of Federal Way, WA, 7 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. She was born in Perth, Western Australia, on May 7, 1920, to William Forbes Angus and Lurline Williams Angus. In 1942, she was a 22-year-old sales clerk in a jewelry store in Perth when a 27-year-old U.S. Soldier, J. Frederick Reeve, came in to buy a brooch for his mother. They dated for only a short time before he was reassigned in the Pacific Theatre, but they continued their relationship by letter. In 1947, she accepted his marriage proposal. After a year of navigating the immigration paperwork required on both sides of the Pacific, she left Australia and all of her family on July 27, 1948, by ship. She arrived at San Francisco on Aug. 17, 1948. Scarcely a month later, on Sept. 18, 1948, they married in El Dara. She lived in the town or on her family�s nearby dairy farm until 2008 when she moved to Springfield. She was a homemaker. During her life she mastered the changes from the urban life of Perth to rural life on her new husband�s dairy farm and the change from Australian culture to American culture. In the early 1950s she was a guest speaker at local schools to explain life in Australia. She became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1969 and embraced her adopted country without abandoning her love for Australia. Even after more than 60 years in America, her speech still had some phrases and words that marked her as Australian. She taught her love of both nations and cultures to her children and grandchildren. One of Mrs. Reeve�s legacies is to be loyal to your country, be proud of it and show your patriotism. She had many cousins and kept in touch with them too. She taught her children to keep in touch with each other and their relatives. Mrs. Reeve expressed to her children that they should always have a good relationship with God and to pray to God and Jesus in all things. She taught them to be adventuresome, to do their best and to have patience with older people at all times. She was active in the El Dara Methodist Church, helping teach Sunday School and Vacation Bible School and assisting with numerous church events such as wedding receptions, church dinners, etc. She was also active in an informal network of women from other countries who had married U.S. servicemen during or after World War II. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her sister and two nieces. Cremation rites were accorded by Cremation Services of Central Illinois, Chatham. Memorial Gathering & Services: Friends may gather Saturday, August 18, from 1:30-3PM at Barry United Methodist Church, 720 Perry Street, Barry, IL, 62312, until the time of services at 3PM. Rev. Sheila Kelly and Rev. Gilbert Fletcher will officiate. Private family inurnment will be at the Taylor-Martin Cemetery near El Dara. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to Barry United Methodist Church or Alzheimer�s Association, 2921 Greenbriar Drive, Suite C, Springfield, IL, 62704.