Fifth Generation

73. Jeannette Anna KEWIT was born on 5 April 1920 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^{6,115,130,156} She was baptized on 2 May 1920 in Monroe County, WI.¹³⁰ She appeared in the census in 1930 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.⁸⁴ Jeannette appeared in the census in April 1940 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁸⁵ She lived at her home in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI in February 2003.⁹⁰ She died on 14 April 2009 at the age of 89 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁴⁷ Obituary Notes: "Jeannette A. Becker, 89, of Tomah, died Tuesday, April 14, 2009, at Tomah Memorial Hospital. She was born April 5, 1920, to Paul and Anna (Marquardt) Kewit in the Town of Ridgeville, Monroe County, WI. She was united in marriage to Edward “Nick” Becker on Jan. 18, 1940, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Tomah. He preceded her in death Dec. 24, 1992. Jeannette worked as a waitress for the Allstate Restaurant and the Sherman Hotel. Nick and Jeannette moved to Kenosha in 1962 and after retirement moved back to Tomah. She was a faithful Christian her whole life and was a devoted member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and the Parish Council of Catholic Women. She was a Gold Star Mother of Lt. John Becker, who gave his life for his country during the Vietnam War. She worked for several years as an Avon saleswoman. She also enjoyed playing bridge with her friends and was a member of the Hiawatha Bridge Club. Jeannette took great pride in her home. She will always be remembered as being neat and meticulous. She enjoyed her many family gatherings. She was a devoted wife and a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great grandmother, sister, aunt and friend.

She is survived by a son, Mark (Bev) of Tomah; four daughters, Mary Kearney of Wyeville, Jane Leighty of Tomah, Rosemary (Joe) De Bartelo of Janesville, and Barbara (Clifford) Isham of Tomah; 16 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, four great-great-grandchildren; a sister, Ardella Gerke of Tomah, and a brother, Jim Kewit of Tomah; a special friend who was like a daughter-in-law, Dolores Rodger of California; two sisters-in-law, Jean Kewitt of Fort Myers, FL, and Gladys Kewit of Tomah; three step-sisters, Hattie Croy of Sacramento, CA, Viola Pfaff of Onalaska, and Dorothy Peterson of Sparta, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward; two sons, John and Charles; six sisters, Ada Miller, Gertrude Giraud-Oakes, Beatrice Wakefield, Margaret Drews, Helen Westpfahl and Violet Farmer; an infant sister, Ruth; two brothers, Kenneth Kewitt and Harold Kewit, and a step-brother, Willard Schultz.

A Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, April 18, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 303 W. Monroe St., Tomah. Father James Leary, OFM., Cap. will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Relatives and friends are invited to call on Friday from 4:30 until 7 p.m. at the Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home, 801 E. Monowau St., Tomah, and at the church on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until time of the Mass. A PCCW rosary will be recited at 4:30 p.m. Friday at the funeral home."
Jeannette was buried on 17 April 2009 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁴⁷ in the St. Mary Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Cemetery.

Jeannette Anna KEWIT and Edward Hillard "Nick" BECKER were married on 18 January 1940 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁴⁷ at St. Mary's Catholic Church. Edward Hillard "Nick" BECKER, son of Nicolaus BECKER and Alma MACHLEITH, was born on 16 May 1912 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^41,115,138 He graduated in 1930 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁴⁸ from Tomah High School. He appeared in the census in 1930 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁸⁴ Nick appeared in the census in 1940 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁸⁵ He and his wife were living with his parents. His occupation was "Machinist Helper, Steam Railroad Shop" and his total wages in 1939 were $1,290. He died on 24 December 1992 at the age of 80 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^41,138 He was buried on 28 December 1992 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^41,138 at St. Mary's Catholic Church Cemetery.

Jeannette Anna KEWIT and Edward Hillard "Nick" BECKER had the following children: