Jean Lutz

Jean Lutz, 89, of rural Edon passed away on March 22,2025. The stars in the heavens will shine a little brighter in her company. Jean was born in 1935, to Bernard "Bud" and Lillian Hesselschwardt during the Great Depression. She grew up on the 180-acre family farm near the hamlet of Brunersburg in Defiance County. Despite the family's modest means, she graduated as a registered nurse from at St. Joseph School of Nursing in Ft. Wayne. It was an anomaly for women of that era to have college degrees.

Shortly after graduating college in 1956, she married a local fellow from Ney, Forest (Jim) Lutz. They met at a square dance. She often quipped that she married him for his short last name, a Hesselschwardt no more. They were married for 56 years until Jim's passing in 2013.

The young couple took the words of the Bible, "be fruitful and multiply," literally. They had seven children in ten years. It was a decade of family pictures featuring a new or newish baby next to the Christmas tree. They moved their growing family to suburban Cooney in 1959. The only house within their budget could best be described as ramshackle. They spent decades making improvements. The family often joked the great pyramids took less time to complete.

With the brood all in school, Jean resumed her nursing career in the early 1970's at Williams County Community Hospital and later at Cameron Hospital in Angola. She had a plethora of good stories to tell about the years working in hospitals. Her colleagues, "the old nurses", were treasured lifelong friends who were very dear to her heart. Their friendships have endured for decades.

The community of Northwest Township fondly remember the kindness and comfort she provided. She was often called to consult and help with neighbor's medical concerns. It was a precursor to Web MD.

Jean was known for her sense of humor and quick wit. She used sarcasm like other people use salt and pepper. Her witticisms were referred to as "Jean-isms". People who never met her, knew about the "Jean-isms". These sayings are in the lexicons of the family vernacular.

She had an unrivaled work ethic. She was described as a force of nature: stop whining, stop complaining, get the work done. She was cutting the grass on her zero-turn lawn mower all last summer. The greatest legacy she has left her children was her "can do" spirit.

Jean often remarked that she was "usually proud" of her children. She admired their degrees, their accomplishments, and the human beings they became. Jean-ism ~ Bad manners are a reflection on your mother.

She leaves behind six of her seven children, Belinda Lutz (Bill) Hamel of Oak Park, Illinois, Julia (Mark) Schwyn of Stroh, Indiana, Angela (Tom) of Oak Park, Illinois, Mike Lutz of Edon, Beth Lutz (Michael) Chlumecky of Chicago, Eric Lutz (Cynthia Buchanan) of Glen Allen, Alaska, and Chris Lutz (deceased).

Jean was the treasured grandmother to 15 extraordinary grandchildren. She was enthralled to be the great-grandmother to 8.5 exceptional great grandchildren.

The visitation will be held on Saturday March 29, at 9 a.m. at St. Paul's Catholic Church. It is located at 8780 East 700 North, Fremont, Indiana. In keeping with her unwavering Catholic faith, a mass will follow at 10 a.m. Interment will be at the Billingstown Cemetery. There will a luncheon served at the Northwest Township Community Building, the former Cooney School. It is located at the corner of State Route 49 and County Road P-50. A celebration of life will follow at the farm.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Northwest Auxiliary that served the community. Donations can be sent to Northwest Auxiliary, 19325 County Road 5-50, Montpelier, Ohio 43543, to the attention of Karen Humphrey.