Covering the Land of Lincoln

Justine Walhout Obituary (1930 – 2022) – Rockford, IL

dr Justine Isabel Simon Walhout
Justine was born in Aberdeen, South Dakota, on December 11, 1930. Her father Otto, a Fundamentalist minister, moved his family from town to town and church to church, including a longer stay at Drummond in northern Wisconsin. Like many families in those days, the Simon family was poor. But Rev. Simon valued learning and made sure his four daughters received a good education.
In 1944, the family moved to Winona, Minnesota, where Justine finished high school and enrolled in Winona State Teachers College. In 1950, she transferred to Wheaton College in Illinois, where she majored in chemistry. In 1952, she entered the graduate school at Northwestern University, earning her Ph.D. in organic chemistry in 1956.
Having taught one year at Wright Junior College in Chicago, she then joined the faculty of Rockford College (now Rockford University). It was at the college that she met her husband, Dr. Donald Walhout, who taught philosophy and religion. They were married On February 1, 1958. In 1965, she resigned from the college in order to raise her family. In 1962, she and Don joined Westminster Presbyterian Church, where she remained an active member for the rest of her life.
The year 1974 brought a new professional opportunity when Justine was invited by Gov. Dan Walker to join the new Illinois State Board of Education. It was a time of controversy over school desegregation, of which Justine was a firm proponent, chairing the Equal Educational Opportunity Committee of the Board. She voluntarily sent her two youngest children to predominately Black schools on the west side of Rockford, including Auburn High School. Her two older children attended East.
After concluding her term on the state board, Justine returned to Rockford College in 1981, where she taught until 1996. Among other classes, she taught basic chemistry to a generation of future nurses. Among her publications was an article in the Journal of Chemical Education entitled “Views of Nursing Professionals on Chemistry Course Content for Nursing Education” (co-authored with Judie Heinschel). After her retirement in 1996, her colleagues honored her by establishing the Justine Walhout Scholarship in Chemistry.
In addition to teaching, Justine was active in professional and civic organizations, including the American Chemical Society, the American Association of University Women, and the League of Women Voters. In 1983, she tested against the opening of Commonwealth Edison’s Byron nuclear power plant before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Atomic Safety and Licensing Board. Later, she brought her students to tour the plant (now slated for closure).
Justine spent the last two decades of her life at Wesley Willows in Rockford, where she and Don greatly enjoyed their cottage on Wesley Way. She loved nothing more than seeing her family. She is survived by her husband, two sisters, four children, and ten grandchildren.
A memorial service is scheduled to take place at 11:00 am on Tuesday, July 12, 2022 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2821 N Bell School Rd., Rockford. In lieu of flowers, send donations to the League of Women Voters or Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Published by Legacy on Jul. 8, 2022.

Legacy.com reports daily on death announcements in local communities nationwide. Visit our funeral home directory for more local information, or see our FAQ page for help with finding obituaries and sending sympathy.

Comments are closed.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More