Mary Louise Siegal

Mary Louise Siegel (Killgore) went to be with our Lord, on January 23, 2018 at the age of 92, after complications from a fall.

Mary was born in St. Joseph, MO on September 6, 1925. She is preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Mills. Siegel, her parents David E. and Della M. Killgore, her brothers, Clarence and Virus Eugene, sister Lillian, and a great granddaughter, Alyssa Phoenix Mathena. She is survived by her son James Siegel of Mt. Pleasant TN, her daughter Mary Elaine Siegel-Bechtel (James) of San Antonio, TX, her grandson Sage Mathena and his wife Alli of Birmingham, AL, granddaughters, Carolyn Stewart (Siegel) of Suitland, MD, Jennifer Kistler(Siegel) and her husband Matthew of Belleville, IL , grandson, Jonathan Siegel (Chicago, IL) and her great grandchildren Robert and Hunter GIll (Sage) , Rachel, Allison and Gabriella Kistler (Jennifer), Aberdeen (Jonathan), and numerous nieces and nephews.

Her proudest personal achievement was that she was the only one of her mother’s four children that graduated from high school at Lafayette High, St. Joseph, Mo. Class of 1944. During high school, Mary worked at a laundry and as housekeeper for a local family. After graduating, Mary worked at the candy counter of the local five and dime. After Mary married, she babysat her grandchildren, and other local families, served as a Girl Scout Leader, and worked as a bookkeeper for her husband’s business, Siegel Electric.

In 1945, at a dance hall with her friends, Mary met a dashing young Airman, Ralph Siegel, who swept her off her feet and they married on August 17, 1946. She was proud to be an Air Force wife and happily went with him to several duty stations around the US and to Japan during his military career. Ralph and Mary were charter members of First Christian Church of Belleville, where they served as a Deacon and Deaconess and Mary later joined the Crafty Ladies Group Ministry. Mary enjoyed making Linus Blankets and teddy bears for children who were hospitalized. She loved to travel, draw, spend time with her family and friends, enjoyed sewing, gardening and in her younger years, going dancing with her husband, Ralph.

In lieu of flowers please make contributions to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Mary had a love of bright beautiful colors, and so we ask in her honor to please wear anything colorful.

Visitation to be held Friday, February 2, 2018 from 9-11 am with the funeral services to be held at 1 pm at Valhalla Funeral Home located at 3412 Frank Scott Pkwy, Belleville, IL 62223.