Joy Eileen Hallstein

She was born in Peoria on November 9, 1921 to George and Lillian (Kohtz) Jibbens.  At the age of four she and her father moved to Pekin to live with her grandparents, James and Dena "Gram" Jibbens who helped raise her.

On December 9, 1945 she married Robert George Hallstein at Grace United Methodist Church, Pekin.  They shared sixty-six years of marriage before his death on April 21, 2012.  Their son George William Hallstein died March 1, 2012.  She was also preceded in death by a sister June who died shortly after birth.

Surviving are three children, Lynn Knight of Montrose, IA, Ellen (John) Denler of Pekin, and Nancy (Dr. Myron) McReynolds of Iowa City, IA; her daughter-in-law, Jane Hallstein of Eau Claire, WI.  Also surviving are her grandchildren, Joy (Chris) Dodge, Steve Maher, Sarah Scott, Elizabeth (Nick) Roach, Robert Denler, Emily Denler, Katherine Denler, Caroline McReynolds and Julia McReynolds, and great grandsons, Aidan, Michael, Liam, and Andrew.

Mrs. Hallstein spent most of her life, except for three years in Champaign, in the home of her grandparents on Charlotte Street within sight of her great-grandparent's home on the corner of Tenth and Hamilton.

She graduated from Pekin High School with the class of 1940 and Brown’s Business College, Peoria in 1942, later attending the University of Illinois with her husband.  Before her marriage she worked at the Pekin Times, Sommer Products, and Keystone.

Mrs. Hallstein enjoyed being a home-maker and was an accomplished cook and seamstress.  Her talents ranged from tailoring, constructing men's suits and children's overcoats to tiny doll clothes.  She made her son's three piece wool wedding suit as well as each of her daughters' wedding dresses.

She played piano from the age of six, continuing lessons through high school.  Playing until her final illness, she concentrated on classical music and popular tunes of the 1920's and 30's.  She was an avid doll collector and was for many years a member of the River City Doll Club.

She possessed a remarkable skill in housebreaking puppies, working her magic on two Dachshunds--Rudolph and Ludwig; three German Shorthaired Pointers--Friedrich, Feike, and Heinrich; and a Doberman Pinscher.  Eli, the Doberman, was her favorite.  He stayed beside her, comforting her, when her children left for college and marriage.

Mrs. Hallstein was a member of First United Methodist Church in Pekin.

Her funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Friday, May 30, 2014 at Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin.  The Rev. Judy Doyle will officiate.  Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, and also one hour before the funeral Friday, both at the funeral home.  Burial will be in Lakeside Cemetery in Pekin.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Journal Star Christmas Fund, P.O. Box 1549, Peoria, IL 61655 or to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Gift Processing Administrator, 18251 Quantico Gateway Drive, Triangle, VA 22172.

To express condolences online, visit www.preston-hanley.com