Jennifer Sue Kreitl

Jennifer “Jenny” Sue Kreitl, 80, passed away on October 20, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. She was born on September 4, 1946, in Indianapolis, to the late Elwood and Virginia (Jordan) Norris.

A 1965 graduate of North Central High School in Indianapolis, Jenny continued her education at Indiana University, where she received her master’s degree in education. She was also a member of the Tri-Delta Sorority, where she made lifelong friends and enjoyed many annual trips around the country together. Learning remained one of the great joys of her life, and she carried that love of growth, self-exploration, and development into every season that followed.

Jenny devoted much of her life to teaching and encouraging others. She worked as an educator, including in special education, and spent 10 years at Heritage Christian School. Her commitment to children and learning was also beautifully evident at home, where she homeschooled seven of her ten children at the same time. She was also a Mary Kay leader and sold their products. In later years, her compassion found another meaningful outlet as a founding member of We Bloom Recovery Cafe and Recovery Cafe Muncie, free adult communities serving those navigating addiction, mental health challenges, or housing instability. She also served as a certified peer recovery coach, offering understanding, hope, and support to people who needed it most.

Her faith was strong and deeply important to her, shaping the way she lived and loved. Jenny was adventuresome, strong-willed, and a true free spirit. She was a lover of learning and a woman who never stopped growing. She loved to laugh, was hospitable and welcoming, and had a gift for encouraging people and loving them for who they were. Fiercely devoted to her family, she was also a fighter who never gave up. Those who knew her will remember her beauty, her warmth, and the way she made room for others with both strength and grace. They will also smile remembering her sweet tooth, which was one more small and endearing part of the joy she brought to life.

Jenny found happiness in many simple and creative pleasures. She loved sewing and knitting and often made clothes and pajamas for her grandchildren and others, turning her care into something tangible and lasting. She loved nature, especially her horses and her dog. Her special horse, KC, and her dog, Cora Mae, held cherished places in her heart. She also enjoyed cooking, antiquing, and gardening, and took special delight in holiday decorating. Movie watching and water skiing were among the many things that added fun and adventure to her life.

Jenny’s life was one of service, resilience, and wholehearted love. She gave of herself as a teacher, a mother, a mentor, a friend, and a woman of faith. Her legacy lives on in the many lives she shaped through education, in the comfort and encouragement she offered others, and in the love she so fiercely gave to her family. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.

Those left to cherish her memory include her loving husband of 57 years, Joe Kreitl; children, Katherine Rice, Nathan Kreitl, Benjamin (Tami) Kreitl, Beth Kreitl (Kevin Espirito), Emily (Jeremy) Allen, Rose (Mark) Wittleder, Ginger (Brady) Heyne, Dan (Alyssa) Kreitl, and Grace Kreitl (fiancé Tapiwa Rujuwa); grandchildren, Cameron Rice, Sophia Rice, Joseph Allen, Jacob Allen, Adrian Allen, Adelyn Allen, Drew Wittleder, Sadie Wittleder, Evie Wittleder, June Heyne, Liam Heyne, George Heyne, Oliver Kreitl, and Magnolia Kreitl; brother, Kim (Renee) Norris; sister-in-law, Kay Norris; and lifelong friends, Kathy Estevez and Ruth Terpstra.

In addition to her parents, Jenny was preceded in death by her son, Josh Kreitl; siblings, Jeff Norris and Kelly Grimes; and her beloved horse, KC.

Services will be held at 1:00pm on Monday, October 26, 2026, at Trinity Wesleyan Church, located at 9709 Allisonville Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46250, with Pastor David Norris officiating. Burial will follow at Oaklawn Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be from 11:00am until the time of the service on Monday. Memorial contributions may be made to We Bloom Recovery Café online here. Arrangements have been entrusted to Ballard and Sons Funeral Home in Middletown. You may express condolences or share a memory of Jenny at www.ballardandsons.com.