Mary Kathryn Johnson

Born April 25, 1923 in Pekin to Raymond and Roxana (Lingafelter) McDaniels, she married James Charles Johnson on August 28, 1943 in St. Louis, Missouri. He survives.

Also surviving is one son, Roger (Deborah) Johnson of Pekin; two grandchildren, Matthew (Jennifer) Johnson and Nicholas (Kelli) Johnson, both of Pekin; one great-grandchild, Sonya Johnson of Pekin and many nieces and nephews.

Preceding are her parents; one brother, Eugene McDaniels and one sister, Adeline Weyhrich.

While still in school, she worked part-time in the office at Cottingham Chevrolet Garage. Then after graduation, worked full time. When the war came along and cars were hard to get she was let go. She worked for a time in the office of Cohen’s Furniture in downtown Pekin. She then worked for Ben Hoffman, an insurance broker and Mr. Cunningham, an attorney. She later went to work for Mr. Unland at his insurance office in downtown Pekin.

Following her work for Mr. Unland, she began bookkeeping for Home Laundry and later was a bookkeeper at Hackler Bros. Drug Store. She worked there until she left to join Jim in San Angelo, Texas. While in San Angelo, she worked wrapping gifts at Christmas time and in the office of an oil field supply company.

After the war, she worked at Faulin Buick Company as a bookkeeper until having her son. She went back to work at Caterpillar in November of 1951 and worked there for 32 years, retiring on January 1, 1983.

Mary was a member of Pekin Emblem Club #424, Curves for Women, Queen Mother of Red Hat Ladies of Pekin, and the 1941 Club.

She loved reading, golfing, waterskiing, working in the yard and solving puzzles. She also loved dancing, photography, telling jokes, shopping and going to lunch with her friends.

Mary was a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Pekin, where she taught Sunday school for many years and was a member of the Mary Martha Society.

Her funeral will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, December 4, 2024 at Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin. Pastor Stephen Barnes and Terry Johnson will officiate. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Glendale Memorial Gardens in Pekin.

Memorial contributions may be made to Our Savior Lutheran Church, 2223 Sheridan Road, Pekin, Illinois 61554 or Pekin Public Library, 301 South 4th Street, Pekin, Illinois 61554 or OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home, 8630 Illinois Route 91, Peoria, Illinois 61615.

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