Marcia Lorene Messer

Born October 10, 1942 in Pekin to Hershal J. and Mary E. (Drake) Knackmuhs, she married Delmar Charles Messer, II on March 22, 1961 in Pekin. He died January 4, 2005. She also was preceded in death by her parents; one grandson, Dustin Messer and two sisters, Judy Bennett and Penny Sue Knackmuhs.

Surviving are one daughter, Marnita (Jim) Wade of Pace, Florida; three sons, Delmar Messer, III of Pekin, Michael (Carrie) Messer of Pace, Florida and David Messer of Pekin; six grandchildren, Jeremy Hancock, Marcia Wade, Marissa Hancock, Dillon Messer, Chawn Messer and Katlynn Bartush; eleven great-grandchildren and one sister, Rita Knackmuhs of Pekin.

She was a 1960 graduate of Pekin Community High School.

A Navy wife, Marcia was devoted to taking care of her family and helped her son, Delmar raise his grandchildren, Jack, Sophia, and Dustin. She also enjoyed gardening and spending time in her yard.

In earlier years, she helped her husband in a ceramics business making feathered flowers at Great Lakes, Illinois. She also worked at Claussons Resort on Cape Cod, where she had the opportunity to serve John Wayne, Shirley McClain and Shelly Winters and was the highlight of her time there. She also had managed the Navy Lodge in Norfolk, Virginia for 3 years. She later worked as a bartender at the Derby Inn in Pekin and retired after more than 20 years at Thompson’s Food Basket as a meat cutter and wrapper.

She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Pekin.

Her funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, July 10, 2025 at Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Glendale Memorial Gardens in Pekin.

Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.

To express condolences online, visit www.preston-hanley.com