Jean DuPont, 71, passed away on Aug. 11, 2013, after a short battle with cancer.
She was born Jean Dorothy Hillmer on Sept. 15, 1941, in Hinsdale Ill., the daughter of Arthur and Florence (Grimmenga) Hillmer, who in their time were born of Heinrich “Henry” and Dorthea (Gade) Hillmer, both born in Germany and Henrichus “Henry” and Catherine “Katy” (Veldman) Grimmenga, both born in the Netherlands.
She married Louis E. DuPont in June of 1964 in Wisconsin.
She was preceded in death by both of her parents, and a twin sister, June (Andy) Szymkowski. Her survivors include her children, Louis (Kelly Worden) DuPont of Grand Haven, Mich., and Brian DuPont of Powers, Mich.; brothers, David (Dolores Dietschweiler) Hillmer of Hinsdale/Orland Park, Ill., and Roger (Mary Kay Mackenzie) Hillmer, of Delevan; a sister, Dolores Zane of Honolulu, Hawaii; grandchildren, Joshua DuPont, Gabriel DuPont, Nicholas DuPont and Rebecca DuPont; and great-grandchild, Jennifer “Jenna” DuPont; nieces, Amy (Jeff) Schmidt, Denise (Noriki) Ishikawa, Debra Harrison, Lisa (Jim) Berglin, Pamela (Kevin) Ford, Cheryl Karr; nephews, Darrell Zane, Dale (Wendy) Hillmer, David Hillmer, Michael Hillmer, and Peter (Donna) Hillmer; eight grandnephews and 11 grandnieces; two great-grandnephews and three great-grandnieces.
A small private ceremony will be held in the home of Jeff and Amy Schmidt. The ceremony will honor her life and to share favorite memories of her. A public service will be held at St. Theresa’s Cemetery, Eagle, Wisconsin on Oct. 26, at 11 a.m. She will be interred with her twin sister, June.
Throughout her life, Jean was known for her quick smile and making people feel at ease. She also loved fancy things. She enjoyed foods of all types, and often dreamed of going to Paris or some other faraway place. One of those dreams came true for her when she visited her sister in Hawaii.
Her sisters-in-law loved the fact that she could teach them the proper way to apply makeup, and to dye their hair, sew clothing, and how to keep a house. Jean excelled at keeping house, from the matching drapes to the table settings and the formal china and silverware.
She loved to cook, and would spend some afternoons watching Julia Child – feverishly writing down the recipes that she would present on her show (Jean loved the idea of cooking French food in her own kitchen).
She enjoyed sewing, and was quite good at it, creating costumes for her children’s school plays, draperies for her homes, and even upholstery for Harry’s Café in Lake Geneva.
She also loved music, and dancing, teaching some of her nieces some current dance moves, and danced to songs such as “Heartbreak Hotel,” by Elvis Presley, or “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” by The Tokens (in jeans and bobby socks).
She enjoyed family outings at Fox Lake, Ill., as a child. She also took good care of her aged parents when they could no longer take care of themselves, and in her own way also took care of her brother Roger by being a prayer partner with him.
She loved flowers and would spend much time in her flowerbeds, tending them. Among her favorites were roses. A famed poet once said that the “earth laughs in flowers.”
Perhaps, in remembering Jean DuPont, we might rephrase and state that the earth laughs in roses instead.
Jean Dorothy (Hillmer) DuPont will be fondly remembered always.
For on online guest registry, go to haaselockwoodfhs.com.
Arrangements completed by Haase Lockwood & Associates Funeral Homes, Palmyra.
