Jeannette H. Pankratz, 94, died Saturday, October 12, 2019, at Hawthorn Court Memory Care, Phoenix, Arizona, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.
The former Jeannette Helen Lippert was born March 7, 1925, in the township of Liberty, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, daughter of the late Fred and Ella (Pleuss) Lippert. She attended Liberty Bell School as a child and graduated from Valders High School in 1942. She completed her education in 1943 graduating from St. Vincent’s Infant & Maternity Hospital School of Pediatric Nursing, Chicago, Illinois where she continued her career in nursing by caring for the children of St. Vincent’s Orphanage. She married the late Leroy “Lee” M. Pankratz of Valders, May 3, 1944, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Clark Mills. Jeannette lived with and cared for Lee’s parents while he served in the Navy during WWII. Both sons served in Viet Nam simultaneously and her grandson, John, served in Iraq and Afghanistan. She was a pillar of strength for her family, a proud American and a lifelong supporter of Veterans.
Jeannette and Lee moved to Boardman, Ohio where she was a constant in her children’s lives. They loved to travel via commercial air, their Piper Cub Airplane or 1962 Buick Special Convertible; but her true love was co-piloting their motor home through the United States. She loved to entertain and was a hostess with a knack for making her guests comfortable. She loved animals, enjoyed golfing, antiquing, history, movies, was an avid reader and loved crossword puzzles. In later years she became a wiz at word search puzzles.
Survivors include one sister Audrey Kugle of Manitowoc, two daughters Janette Lee Andio of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Cathy Jean Torba of Phoenix, Arizona and one son and daughter-in-law Thomas Michael (Geri) Pankratz of Crestline, California, nine grandchildren, David Allen (Jennifer) Donah, Lelania Stewart, Jessica (Robert) Jetton, Christel Andio, Jennifer Spiezio, Michael (Sarah) Pankratz, Kacey (Chris) Marin, John Joseph Torba, Jason Lee (Shasta) Torba, thirteen great-grandchildren, Chase, London, Clayton, Jonathan, Skyler Rose, Sienna, Blake, McKenna, Liberty, Remington, Tatum, Jameson, Jaxon, two great-great-grandchildren Carly and Aubrey. Jeannette was preceded in death by her devoted husband of 47 years, Lee, her eldest son and daughter-in-law John Robert (Zandra) Pankratz, son-in-law Richard Torba, five brothers and four sisters-in-law Erwin (Jenny), Kenneth (Leona), Roland (Evelyn), Elton, (Setsuko), Herald, four sisters and three brothers-in-law, Gwendolyn (Alfred), Carmen (Charles “Huns”), Katherine, Marion and Roman “Buster” Kugle.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 16, 2019 at St. Francis of Assisi Parish on Waldo, 1121 North 14thStreet, Manitowoc. The Rev. William Evans will celebrate the Mass of Christian Burial with entombment to follow at Calvary Mausoleum. Family and friends may call at the church on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of Mass at 11:00 a.m. There will be no visitation at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, Chicago, Illinois. The Jens Family Funeral Home & Crematory of Manitowoc assisted the family with funeral arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.jensreinboldandpfeffer.com
