Ann B Kisting

Born July 7, 1914 in Toluca, Illinois, the daughter of the late John and Susan (Yager) Bakalar, she passed away October 21, 2012 at the age of 98. Ann became a registered nurse, and served as a stewardess on the Union Pacific Railroad prior to joining the US Army. She rose to the rank of captain in the US Army Nurse Corps in WW II, serving with the 120th Evacuation Hospital and accompanying US forces that liberated the Buchenwald concentration camp. She also did tours of duty in Hawaii and at Letterman Hospital in San Francisco. She met her late husband Alvin J. Kisting in the military and married him in 1947 at the Presidio in San Francisco.

While raising their four daughters in Elgin, Ann became a school nurse. She was beloved by legions of schoolchildren while employed by District 300 in Dundee and District 303 in St. Charles until she retired at age 70. During that time, she returned to college and obtained her BS degree from the College of St. Francis in Joliet in 1976. She was a faith-filled and devoted member of St. Mary’s parish in Elgin for nearly 60 years, attending Mass daily until well into her 90’s.

She was a source of inspiration and support to her daughters, unfailingly gracious, cheerful and kind. She doted on her grandchildren, spending countless hours helping with their care, reading to them and playing innumerable games of Scrabble, where she was an expert at all 2-letter words. She was a voracious reader, a wonderful cook and an avid gardener, as well.

Surviving to cherish her memory are her daughters Susan Kisting of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Nancy Kisting of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Ann Marie Kisting (Jesse Herr) of Chicago, Illinois and Mary Alice Kisting (Dr. Donald Bartkowski) of Okemos, Michigan; 7 grandchildren (Sam Herr, Georgeann Herr, Ellen Herr and Jesse Herr; Annie Bartkowski, Daniel Bartkowski, and Maggie Bartkowski), one brother Francis Bakalar of Southfield, Michigan and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, and two brothers, Edward Bakalar and Richard Bakalar.

Funeral services will be held at St. Mary Church, 397 Fulton St., Elgin at 10:30 AM on Monday, October 29th. Services will be preceded by a wake beginning at 9:30 AM at the church. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donation can be made to Special Olympics Illinois, 800 Roosevelt Rd. B-220m Glen Ellyn, Illinois 60137 or St. Edward Central Catholic High School, 335 Locust St., Elgin Illinois 60123.

The family is being served by Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, East Lansing. On line condolences may be made at www.greastlansing.com.