Jeania Maria Layman

Jeania M. Layman (nee Dillard), age 67, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her entire family, on Monday, March 10, 2025.

Jeania was born in East St. Louis, IL on November 27, 1957. Early in her career, she worked as a nurse’s aide in several nursing home facilities, taking care of people. This early caring for others was a trait of compassion and care for others for all who had the pleasure to meet her. She was the assistant manager at SuperAmerica Convenience store where customer care was her priority.

She continued her outstanding caring for people as the head teller at National Bank in Benld, IL.

While working in those leadership positions, she was also a full-time mother—a position she proudly held and never missed a chance to love, guide, nurture and support her children at any time she was needed. When she was blessed with grandchildren, Jeania retired to direct all her attention to being a full time Nana. Her grandfather, Claude Dillard, was her role model for superior grandparenting and Jeania was the center of the universe and support system for all.

Jeania loved being a mother and Nana. She took so much pride in those positions and made sure that she was available for whenever or whatever was needed by her family or friends.

She loved all kinds of animals. This included her beloved pet toy poodle Molly and Pomeranian mix Chewy, racoons, squirrels, cardinals, deer, and chipmunks.

Nana was always looking for a good scare from the B Movie Horror Genre. She loved any horror movie and although she hid her eyes for some of the parts, she was a true fan of the scary movie. Some of her favorites are the Jeepers Creepers series, the Halloween movies and the Friday the 13th anthology. Her other favorite pastime was watching and studying crime dramas through 20/20, true detective and other shows about criminal behaviors.

Jeania is survived by her beloved husband of 49 years, Jeffrey Layman; children, Jasmine (Vince) Alepra Abernathy and Jason Layman (Joe Rouse); grandchildren Kenneth Alepra, Joe Alepra; Maggie Abernathy, Grayson Layman-Rouse and Blake Layman-Rouse; sisters Regina (Michael) Moore, Jessica Tyson.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Billy and Barbara Tyson; loving grandfather Claude Dillard; sister Diana Tyson.

A visitation for Jeania will be held from 10am until the time of eulogies at 12pm on Monday, March 24, 2025 at Davenport Family Funeral Home and Crematory, 941 S. Old Rand Rd., Lake Zurich, IL 60047. Entombment to follow at Windridge Memorial Park in Cary, IL.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Jeania’s name may be made to support first responders and military families at Tunnel to Towers Foundation or the efforts to rescue animals through ASPCA.