Jennifer Kee Anderson

It is with great sadness that the family of Jennifer Kee Anderson, 36, of Champaign, announces her passing on April 2, 2018 after a six-year battle with cancer. She will be forever remembered by: her husband Chris and their dog Larry; her parents Harry and Kathy Klauda of Raleigh, NC; and her brother Jeff (Susan) Klauda of Silver Spring, MD. Jen will also live on in the hearts of her nieces, Mattea and Lucia Klauda, and Chris's family (Bart, Marilyn, and Aly Anderson of Bowling Green, KY). Jen was born on March 9, 1982 in Seoul, South Korea and joined the Klauda family on July 30, 1982 in Preston Hollow, NY, where she grew up. Jen graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Music Education from Ithaca College (NY) and a Master's degree in Saxophone Performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She worked at Holy Cross School in Champaign for one year and then in the Prairieview-Ogden School District for over 10 years, where she taught band, chorus, and social studies. Additionally, she was an active performer, with one of the highlights of her career being the opportunity to perform as a member of the University of Illinois Wind Symphony at Carnegie Hall in 2005. Her most recent performance was with her husband and their saxophone quartet at the World Saxophone Congress in Strasbourg, France in 2015. Jen's family, friends, and students will remember her as a kind and loving person who never failed to see the best in people; her thoughtfulness and playful spirit had an immense impact on all of those around her. Her courage in the face of cancer will serve as a lasting example of how to live life to the fullest, regardless of "the hand that you are dealt" in life's journey. Visitation will be held on Friday, April 13th from 5-8 p.m. at Sunset Funeral Home, 710 N. Neil Street, Champaign, IL. A service celebrating her life will be held Saturday, April 14th at 2:00 p.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church, 203 Church Street, Royal, IL. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jennifer's honor can be made to the Lustgarten Foundation at https://www.lustgarten.org/donate.