Jeanette (Jan) Marie Sperka Kostrzewski

Jeanette (Jan) Marie Sperka Kostrzewski, formerly of Western Springs, Illinois, died peacefully after a full life on Friday, March 10, 2023.  She was born May 5, 1939, in Chicago. 

She graduated from Loyola University with her bachelor’s degree and masters.  She was a high school counselor with the Chicago Public Schools for over 35 years. 

She enjoyed tennis and even coached high school tennis.  Jeanette and her husband Robert enjoyed traveling and photography. Jan traveled around the world, attended plays and the theater and concerts.   Jeanette was an avid reader, she dabbled with painting, she enjoyed gardening and her flowers.

Jeanette was a member of St. Cletus Catholic Church in LaGrange, Illinois and volunteered in their food pantry.  She was also a member of the American Association of University Women and Chicago Teachers Union.  She was a patron of the Lyric Opera and she volunteered at the Brookfield Zoo for over 10 years.

Jeanette is preceded in death by her beloved husband Robert T. Kostrzewski, parents Stanley P. and Agatha Wielgus Sperka, brother Louis (Alice) Sperka.  She is survived by her niece and nephews Mark (Janice) Sperka, Thomas (Sheri) Sperka, Valerie (Greg) Bendel, Robert (Linda Kirby) Sperka, sister-in-law Barbara Kostrzewski and 2 great nieces and 3 great nephews and other extend family.

Visitation for Jeanette will be Tuesday, March 14 from 10 AM – 12 PM at Our Lady of the Greenwood Catholic Church, 335 S. Meridian Street, Greenwood, Indiana.  A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 12 PM.  Graveside services with entombment will be Thursday, March 16 at the Resurrection Catholic Cemetery, 7201 Archer Road, Justice, Illinois at 12 PM (Illinois time).

Memorials in Jeanette’s name may be made to Brookfield Zoo at https://www.czs.org/Brookfield-Zoo/Donate

Services entrusted to O’Riley Branson Funeral Service and Crematory.

Please visit www.OrileyBranson.com to share a favorite memory or to sign the online guest registry.