W. Cronan Jean

Wednesday, December 10, 2003 at 1:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Vandalia.
Officiating will be: Rev. Dusty Morgan, Rev. Michael Kelpe and Rev. William Givens.
Music provided by: Amy Carrel and Lana Black.
Interment will be in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Columbia.
Pallbearers: Fred Davis, Tim Kurz, Bob Giltner, Dewey Straube, Leon Shaw, Michael Davis, Matthew Davis and Bill Cockrell. Honorary pallbearers will be Rosie Chasteen, Alcina Givens, Eva Belle Kurz, Sue Girard, Betty Davis and Michelle Kurz.

Jean W. Cronan died at 7:45 a.m. Sunday, December 7, 2003 at the Audrain Medical Center in Mexico, Missouri. She had been a resident of Vandalia since 1956 when she and her husband, Pat D. Cronan, opened an IGA Foodliner grocery store here. Jean attended one year at Missouri Valley College and graduated from the University of Missouri in Columbia in 1942. Among her many accomplishments, she was the first female member of the Van-Far School Board and helped start the Vandalia PlayCare Center for pre-school children. Jean also organized a chapter of the American Field Service to bring foreign students to Van-Far High School. She was a "host-Mom" to Claudio Albis, then living in Milan, Italy and now living in Paris, France. She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Vandalia and of Chapter CE of PEO.

Born: May 10, 1920 in Mokane, Missouri the daughter of John William and Eunice J. (Moore) Dearing.

Married: Pat D. Cronan in New Franklin, Missouri on February 14, 1943 and he preceded her in death on September 25, 1983.

Survivors include: two sons, Patrick Cronan of Rocheport, Missouri and Michael Cronan of Kansas City, Missouri; also three grandchildren, Carrie Cronan of Louisberg, Kansas; Kyle Cronan, now at Columbia University in New York City and Sara Cronan of Silver Springs, Maryland; also survived by Tim and Michelle Kurz and family, who were important to Jean and to her happiness. Two nephews, Bill and Bob Chiles.

Preceded in death by: parents and one sister, Helen (Dearing) Chiles.

Memorials may be made to the Vandalia PlayCare Center, 115 W. Walsh Blvd., Vandalia, Missouri 63382.