Norma Jean Nilges, known lovingly as Jean, was born November 9, 1928, in Sedgwick County, Kansas, and passed away July 12, 2026, in Garnett, Kansas, at the age of 97 from natural causes. She was united in marriage to Bernard J. Nilges on July 16, 1948. He preceded her in death June 17, 2021. She carried the memory of their life together with grace and steadfast love. Jean was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother whose life reflected the values she held dear.
Jean is survived by her daughters, Cristine M. Bacon and her husband, Charles of Moran, Kansas and Connie J. Hiner and her husband, Sam of Burlington, Kansas. She also leaves behind a loving family of grandchildren, Bryan Bacon and his wife, Brenda of McKinney, Texas, Jessica Bacon of Moran, Kansas, Tina Withers and her husband, Chris, Erica Combs and her husband, Donnie and Renee Fischer and her husband, Chancy all of Burlington, Kansas. Her legacy continues through her great-grandchildren, Abigail, Caleb, Austin, Hannah, Collin, Jocelyn, Cassidy, Evan, Ava and Addison, as well as a great-great-grandson, Oliver. Each of them carries forward a part of her love, her strength, and her example. Also surviving are three brothers, Reuben, David and Steven Blubaugh. In addition to her husband, Jean was preceded in death by five brothers, Robert, Ralph, Roger, Russell and Raymond Blubaugh and a sister, Lois Nilges.
As a Christian, Jean trusted in the promises of God and lived with hope in the Lord’s mercy and eternal care. Her earthly journey has now ended, but her faith assures those who mourn that death is not the final word for those who belong to Christ. May she rest in the peace of her Savior, and may her family find strength in the hope of eternal life and the assurance that love never truly ends. Her family would like to thank the staff at the Anderson County Residential Living Center for all their friendship and care for Jean over the last several years.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Thursday, July 23rd at the First Christian Church in Garnett, Kansas. The family will receive friends from 10:00 A.M. until service time at the church. Following the service at the church, a graveside service will be held at 2:00 P.M. at the Gas City Cemetery in Gas, Kansas. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Anderson County Residential Living Center or the Good Shepherd Hospice and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.