Louretta Jane (Andrews) Kitson

JANE KITSON

JERSEYVILLE - Louretta Jane Kitson, 73, died at 8:11 p.m., Tuesday, May 16, 2023 at Alton Memorial Hospital.

She was born in Nutwood, Illinois on July 30, 1949, the daughter of the late Louis William and Lily Violet (Forbes) Andrews.

Jane graduated in 1967 from Jersey Community High School in Jerseyville, and was employed with Pulmonary Consultants at Christian Hospital, retiring as their Office Manager after nearly 40 years of dedicated service.

She married Kenneth Kitson on January 6, 1967 at Gospel Assembly in Jerseyville, and together, they have been blessed with 56 years of marriage and the joys of their four children.

Together, they raised their children in a loving and faith based home, residing in Jerseyville the majority of their married life. After a house fire, they relocated to White Hall in 2009, where they began a new adventure, owning and operating, Packmule Antiques in Roodhouse.

Jane was a talented musician, sharing her talents playing several different instruments in church as well as many weddings, and considered it an honor to have been requested to sing at a wedding at the Old Cathedral Basilica and King of France, both in downtown St. Louis.

She loved cheering on her children and grandchildren at their various sporting events, choir and band concerts, or Boy Scouts, and distance made no difference to her.

She was a great hostess and loved to throw a good party, hosting many summer and fall parties at their river property in Hardin, as well as being "decorator extraordinaire" for multiple wedding receptions. There was no such thing as "less in more" in her opinion, and the more sparkle the better. She was "shop till you drop" kind of gal and spoiling her family was what she enjoyed the most.

Surviving are her husband, Kenneth Kitson of Jerseyville; four children and their spouses, Keith and Rebecca Kitson of Jerseyville, Sharilyn Droege of Jerseyville, Kevin and Becca Kitson of Eldred, and Craig and Elizabeth Kitson of Roodhouse; 11 Grandchildren, Melissa (Chris) Odle, Caleb Kitson, Meghan Droege, Samuel Droege, DJ Maynard, Jacquelyn Maynard, and her fiance' Erik Springman, Christopher (JayKeela) Rhodes, Alex Rhodes, Dakota Kitson, Kyra Kitson and Arryana Kitson; one great granddaughter, Nellie June Sams Odle and a great grandchild due in October; as well as being a "Mom" and "MawMaw" to many other children blessed to be the recipient of her love and concern. The more the merrier was her motto, and it didn't matter who you were, you were family and were ALWAYS treated as such. She loved fiercely, and was very protective of her family and friends.

She is also survived by her sister and brother in-law, Elsie and Ronald Davenport of Wood River, and was preceded in death by her other siblings, Shirley Andrews, Lily Mae Miller, Dorothy Preston; and an infant brother, James Andrews.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Crawford Funeral Home in Jerseyville.

Visitation will continue on Wednesday from 10 a.m., until time of funeral services at 11 a.m. at Gospel Assembly in Jerseyville, with Rev. Clyde Shaw officiating.

Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery in Jerseyville.

Memorials may be given to Gospel Assembly in Jerseyville, where Jane was a lifelong and faithful member.

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