Submitted by: Dan Rich
Jean M. Egan
Dec. 15, 1915 - Jan. 4, 2005
South Bend Tribune 1/6/2005
Jean M. Egan, 89, was born and raised in
Chicago, Ill., the second of four children of Francis Hugh
McKeever and Grace Gallagher McKeever. She was preceded in
death by her parents; her brother, Hugh; and by her sister, Mary
Annis McKeever. Her brother, Robert B. McKeever (Madeleine),
survives. Jean graduated from Mundelein College in 1937.
On June 12, 1937, she married Sherman Louis
Egan, MD, who preceded her in death on October 14, 2003, after 66
years of marriage. As Jean with her husband started their family
of eight children, they lived first in Chicago, then in
Rochester, MN, finally moving to South Bend after World War II in
1947. They were longtime members of Holy Cross Parish where their
children attended grade school for 27 consecutive years.
Surviving are Judy (Jim) Donohue, Edina, MN, Anne (Bill) Hergenrother,
Akron, OH, Brenda (Dorothy) Egan, Wayland, MA, Dennis (Jane)
Egan, Westfield, N.J., Philip (Cheryl) Egan, Kalamazoo, MI, Hugh
(Deborah) Egan, Ithaca, N.Y., and Mary Jean (Dan) Osberger,
South Bend, IN. Her son, Patrick Egan, preceded her in death in
1966. Jean has 26 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
Jean and Sherman were inseparable and
enjoyed volunteering together. Jean was a charter member of the
Christ Child Society and hosted the first bazaars at her home.
She was also in the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Christian Family
Movement, United Nations Association, Ladies of Notre Dame and
Saint Mary's, Saint Joseph Hospital Medical Auxiliary, and
Retirees of Notre Dame for decades.
Jean was known to attend daily Mass at Holy
Cross with her husband in their retirement years. She was a
devoted wife, mother and a wonderful hostess, with Sherman known
for giving annual open houses and also hosting college student
brunches and various pot-luck groups. She will be missed by all.
Visitation will be held on Friday, January
7, from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Hickey Funeral Home and Cremation
Services, 3516 E. Jefferson Blvd., South Bend. A Mass of
Christian Burial will be held Saturday, January 8, at 10 a.m. in
St. Paul's Retirement Community, 3602 S. Ironwood Drive, South
Bend, with visitation one hour prior to the Mass. Fr. Paul Doyle,
CSC, will be presiding. Burial will follow at Highland Cemetery
on Portage Avenue, South Bend. The Hickey Funeral Home and
Cremation Service is in charge of arrangements. Special thanks go
to the staff at St. Paul's Health Care Center who cared for Jean
and Sherman. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers,
memorial contributions be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society
or to the Christ Child Society.