Jean Elizabeth Ranck, 80, died December 9, 2005, at St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay. Most recently a resident of the Renaissance Assisted Living Apartment Community in Marinette, WI, she was born on June 22, 1925, in Appleton to John and Viola Trautmann. She graduated from Appleton High School in 1943 and from Lawrence University in Appleton in 1947 with a degree in music, summa cum laude. She received a master's degree in Sacred Music from Union Theological Seminary in New York City, where she met her future husband, the Rev. Dr. John Robert Ranck. After serving at churches in New Castle, PA, and Neenah, they moved to Menominee, MI, in 1958 where she served as choir director and organist of the First Presbyterian Church and taught private voice, piano and organ lessons. She was also professor of music at the University of Wisconsin-Marinette and Green Bay campuses. In addition, she performed with consummate grace the many duties of a minister's wife and with infinite patience those of a mother of five children. When she and her husband retired in 1989, they moved to Lakeland, FL, where she continued to contribute her musical talents to the community at the Florida Presbyterian Homes and where her perseverance in her long struggle with Parkinson's disease served as an inspiration to fellow residents. She and her husband returned to the Marinette/Menominee area last year. Jean was a member of the national music honor society Pi Kappa Lambda, the international music fraternity SAI, the American Guild of Organists, the Presbyterian Women's Association and PEO.

She is survived by her husband of 54 years, the Rev. Dr. J. Robert Ranck of Rennes Health Center, Peshtigo; two sons, John Ranck (Andrew Hardacker) of Boston, MA; James (Sandie) Ranck of Green Bay; three daughters, Jan Ranck (Arie Ben-David) Jerusalem, Israel; Joanne (James) Heffernan, Batavia, IL, Jennifer Foye (John Wagner), Marquette, MI; four grandchildren, Colleen and T.J. Heffernan, Jackson and Mitchell Ranck; a brother, John Trautmann, The Plains, VA; and two sisters, Mary Lou Bloede, Denver, CO; and Viola Mae Berger of Chico, CA.

A prayer service is planned for January 2, 2006, 11 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Menominee, MI. A memorial service is planned for sometime in the spring.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Parkinson Foundation, 1501 N.W. 9th Avenue / Bob Hope Road, Miami, Florida 33136-1494 or parkinson.org.

Blaney Funeral Home is assisting the family with local arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to www.blaneyfuneralhome.com.