Jean (Sherman) Arndt

Jean (Sherman) Arndt, 101, passed away at home on April 19 with her loving family at her side. She was born in Jerome, Idaho on February 25, 1913 to Roscoe and Ida (McLaren) Sherman. She grew up in Chicago, Glen Ellen and Waukeegan, IL. She danced in the burlesque show when she was 19 years old, until her father found out. She worked as a secretary in her father’s insurance agency for many years. During World War II she was a corporal in the Women’s Army Corp and served in Australia, the Philippines and Papua, New Guinea. She once got a ride with Pappy Boyington in his jeep. While in New Guinea she trained all the officers she worked for.

After the war she studied at Lake Forest College and earned her bachelor’s degree in education. She taught at Warren High School in Gurnee, Il for 20 years. She was the Dean of Girls for several years. Her family built one of the first cottages on Prairie Lake in 1929, and she retired on Prairie Lake in 1976, where she lived the rest of her life.

She was a dedicated and loving grandmother, who loved teaching her grandchildren proper manners. She loved baking, sewing, knitting, gardening and was an avid reader. There were only two ways to do things according to Jean: her way and the wrong way.

Jean is survived by her grandsons Nathaniel and Erik, her granddaughter Shannon, her great-grandchildren MacKenzy, Michaela, Madeline, William and John Thomas, her son-in-law John Hardin and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Nancy Hardin, her parents Roscoe and Ida, her brothers Roscoe “Bill” Sherman, Jr. and Donald Sherman and her favorite nephew Robert Sherman.

A special thanks to Bonnie Peterson, Lorena Davis, Chris Larson, Sue Sather, Kelsey Olson and the late Colleen Scheubel for helping care for Jean over the past three years. And to Nathaniel for being such a dedicated grandson and caring for his grandmother. Since age four he has been the only person who has ever been able to tell her to shut up and like it.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2014 at 7:00 P.M. at the Burnham-Ours-Kolstad Family Funeral Home in Chetek. Jean’s family will be greeting visitors at the funeral home beginning at 5:00 P.M. Military Honors will be rendered following the service by the American Legion Post 179 of Chetek The Burnham-Ours-Kolstad Family Funeral Home of Chetek has been entrusted with arrangements.