Jane Ann Batteiger

Jane Ann Gute was born March 24, 1945, to Harry & Mary Jane Gute of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She was the eldest of four children: Mary, William and Tina. Jane is survived by her husband of 58 years, Joe, daughter Jenny (Doug) Hewitt, son Andy (Velvet) Batteiger, sister Mary (Dennis) Murphy, sister Tina (Chuck) Schwiesow, sister in-law Kathy Gute, granddaughters Samantha, Victoria and Andrea Hewitt and all of her beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her brother, William Gute.

Jane started out life at St. Jude’s Elementary and Pius High Catholic Schools, where she made many friends that she kept throughout her life. She spent summers at the family cottage on Beaver Lake.

Jane then started on what was the part of her journey that led to the beginning her family. She began her college career at University of Wisconsin in Madison. This was undoubtedly one of the proudest and most fun episodes of her life. She met Joe there during their freshman year and began their lifelong love story. Jane was a die-hard Badger fan, football mostly. She loved the Wisconsin Band – she really LOVED that band!!! Jane never missed an opportunity to stay for the 5th Quarter at Camp Randall. She always watched the games from home and got riled up. It was one of the Batteiger families’ greatest traditions, many parties, or just small family gatherings around fall football Saturdays. Jane was fired up!!!! Her time in Madison was no doubt some of her favorite on this earth. She was a member of Alpha Phi Sorority. Jenny and Andy were so lucky that she and Joe raised them in the traditions and brought them to many Badger games at Camp Randall. She was always so proud to have her whole family in Madison.

Jane studied to become a teacher in college. She got her degree in art history and education and became an art teacher after college. She taught in two schools in Wisconsin after college while Joe was in the Army reserves and in graduate school. Again, spawning what would be a life spent behind paint brushes, touching other people with her gifts, and putting beautiful things into the world. She influenced countless young people at St Adalbert’s School, and Marywood Academy, also in Grand Rapids. She would even come in and do guest sessions for Jenny and Andy’s elementary school classes, which always made her kids so proud. She always had fun stuff for her kids to do and really encouraged their creativity. She did that for so many other young people as well.

Jane lost her father at an unfortunately early age. That loss always affected her, and their whole family. Harry died a few years before Jane’s kids were born, but Jane always kept his spirit alive with lots of stories and memories of what a great father Harry was to them all. Jane’s mother, Mary Jane, was a firm believer in keeping the family close. The whole Gute side of the family loved spending time together as much as possible.

Jenny and Andy were both been born in Chicago, Jenny in 1971, and Andy in 1974. In 1976 the family moved to Berwyck Road, in Grand Rapids, MI, to follow Joe’s career and settle into what would be a truly amazing childhood for Jenny and Andy and a robust chapter of Jane and Joe’s life. Jane taught art in two different schools, and she also had a highly active career in real estate at Village Belles, in Gaslight Village. But first, Jane stayed home with her kids until they were old enough to get themselves around. She was always involved in community groups like Junior League and the schools’ PTAs. She had so many friends, no matter where she lived, always an organizer of fun events and block parties. She really gave her kids an amazing childhood growing up on Berwyck. The 15 or so years on Berwyck were always precious to the whole family. There were so many great times, stories, and lifelong friends.

After both kids graduated from high school, Jane and Joe moved around Grand Rapids a bit. First, to Crystal Springs where they also made some great friends and neighbors. For a couple of years, to a little house on Alger St. Wherever Jane went, she made a beautiful home. Her family always used to tease her about her collections: plates, place mats, furniture. Her basement was like a clearance center any time the kids needed anything. Both kids furnished several of their first places out of Jane’s basement. Again, her creative touches were all through their lives, and they always loved it. This is one of the things they will miss most, and the things they will treasure now. So very many things from Jane in all their homes.

That brings us to the closing of the Grand Rapids chapter, and the beginning of Glen Arbor. Which everyone knows is both Jane and Joe’s favorite chapter! The family started visiting Glen Arbor when the kids were young. They would stay at The Homestead and her dear friend Mary Meade’s cottage. That led them to purchase their own piece of land and eventually build a new home there. They eventually relocated to Lake Street full time, semi-retired, and lived the good life. Jane’s art career really blossomed in these years. Her creativity really soared. She put a ton of amazing art out into the world. She was involved in the art community in Leelanau County, served as president of the Glen Arbor Art Association and was part of the Leelanau Women Artists. Since her passing, it has been a nonstop flood of texts from friends and family of her art hanging on their walls. Days before Jane’s passing, she and Andy talked about this. Even though she did not really have her speech at all at the end, she was able to acknowledge how proud her family is of her for putting so much beauty into the world and touching so many people’s lives. Glen Arbor was Jane and Joe’s happy place. It really shone through in those years; her heart and soul are there. She is everywhere out there. Glen Arbor means so much to her family, and even more now. It is where they will go to connect with her.

In 2016 Jane and Joe decided it was time to move closer in to Traverse City, and the needed conveniences and medical services needed as we age. Jane continued painting, quite prolifically, in her new walk out basement art studio, and continued spending time in her gardens. Oh, her gardens!!!! They were something everyone admired! Jenny and her husband moved from Grand Rapids to Traverse City at the same time. Jenny and Jane relished spending so much time together.

Somewhere in 2018-2019, Jane started to notice some speech issues. This led to an eventual diagnosis of Primary Progressive Aphasia, which would turn into dementia. It mostly affected her speech and communication. A cruel reality for the chatter bug she was, but she took it in stride. Never let it slow her down; never let it get in the way of living her life. She never got mad about it, never called it unfair. She rolled with it. She was always happy and joyful, bringing smiles to everyone she met. She was as sweet as you can imagine, right up to the end. When she stopped driving, Joe and Jenny took her wherever she wanted to go. Jane would get up in the morning and ask Joe where they were going every day. It became a weekly tradition for Jane and Jenny to “get out.” Slowly, the dementia started creeping in more, making Jane weaker. Jane fought it with all her might. On Sunday morning, September 6th at 8:30 am, she was free. Surrounded by Joe, Jenny, Andy, and her very favorite aide (who looked at her as her own grandma), in her memory care unit where Joe has spent the last ten months by her side, all day, every day. Watching their love story come to an end right before their eyes was one of the most painful things her kids have ever felt.

Her family surrounded Jane with the same love she showed them, right until the end. Her passing was peaceful, incredibly beautiful, and continues to be a little painful. Her family misses her dearly, but they are also so relieved she is free from the shackles of dementia. Andy told her on the last day she was lucid; she can fly free now. Jenny echoed that to her at her bedside on Saturday. She shed her earthly body that was holding her mind and spirit back. Her family knows she will come back to visit and watch over them and boss them around (they hope). As the funeral home vehicle was leaving with Jane, a female cardinal flew right to the bird-feeder at their window and looked at the whole family for a few minutes. They know that was her saying she will be just fine and she will see them again.

A celebration of life will be held for Jane at the Glen Lake Yacht Club, 6617 S Sunset Dr, Glen Arbor, MI 49636, on Saturday, October 3, 2026 from 12:00 PM to 4 PM.