Mary Alice Hillmann Edwards

Mary Alice Hillmann Edwards, age 95, of Mt. Sterling, Illinois passed away at 7:07 p.m. Tuesday, October 23, 2018 at Heritage Health, Therapy and Senior Care in Mt. Sterling, Illinois.

Mary Alice was born April 2, 1923 in Quincy, Illinois, a daughter of Glen Otto and Dollie Leigh Doane Hillmann.  She married O. Lyle Kleinlein on February 17, 1945 near Baylis, Illinois.  To this union four children were born. 

Mary Alice married Oral Lee Brake on December 24, 1973 in Mt. Sterling and he preceded her in death on April 18, 1989.  Later she married A. Glenn Edwards on September 9, 1997 in Mt. Sterling and he preceded her in death on July 14, 2016. 

Mary Alice is survived by her four children Janet (Gary) Chapman of Burlington, Iowa, Rodney (Donna) Kleinlein of Bloomington, Illinois, Bruce Kleinlein of Gilbert, Arizona and Bonnie (Steve) Sorrells of Mt. Sterling, Illinois.  Eight grandchildren Alicia (Au) Nguy, Nathan Chapman, Bryan and Brannon Kleinlein, Kari (Kyle) Cooperider and Andrea Kleinlein, Stacey (Jeremy) Craven and Melissa Zimmerman.  Eleven great grandchildren Willow, Meadow and Symphony Nguy, Brendan Cooperider, Anya and Phoebe Kleinlein, Jordan, Laiken and Taylor Craven and Brady and Sidney Zimmerman. 

Mary Alice is also survived by one sister Rosalyn Phillips of Griggsville, Illinois and several nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. 

She is survived by four step children Wayne (Pat) Brake, Janet Brake, Glenna (John) Dormire and Carol A. Edwards (Brad) Starnes.  Five step grandchildren and seven step great grandchildren. 

Mary Alice was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters Aileen Gray and Barbara Lokken and one daughter-in-law Shirley (Bemis) Kleinlein. 

Mary Alice attended Webster School in Quincy, Illinois until 1935 when her family moved to Pike County, Illinois.  She then attended Tenneriffe School her eighth grade year and graduated from New Salem High School in 1940.  Awarded a scholarship she attended Western Illinois State Teachers College in Macomb, Illinois for two years.

Mary Alice began her teaching career in one room school houses.  Her first year was at Shelly School in Pike County, Illinois and then four years at Grove School in Brown County.  Moving to Mt. Sterling introduced her to the public schools and for over twenty-five years, Mary Alice did substitute teaching, then taught Title 1 for two years.  In 1968, she took a position as a first-grade teacher and held that position until retirement in 1990.  She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Illinois University in 1979 at the age of 56 years old.  

Mary Alice was a member of several teacher’s associations, BCEA, IEA, Schuyler-Brown and Illinois Retired Teachers Association, Delta Kappa Gamma Sigma Chapter, and a lifetime member of the National Education Association. 

As an active member of the Mt. Sterling Presbyterian Church of Christ she was an Elder, Deacon, organist, pianist, choir member and part of the Women’s Circle. 

Mary Alice’s strength in life came from her strong faith and her unconditional love for her children, grandchildren and family.  As a teacher, she was dedicated to each student’s personal needs and accomplishments.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, October 26, 2018 in the Mt. Sterling Presbyterian Church of Christ with Rev. Richard Young and Dr. Gary Chapman officiating.

Burial will be in the Gray Cemetery near New Salem, Illinois. 

Visitation will be from 12:30 p.m.  until the time of services on Friday at the church.

Memorials are suggested to the Mt. Sterling Presbyterian Church of Christ or Gray Cemetery.

Condolences for the family may be left on line at www.hendrickerfuneralhome.com.

The Hendricker Funeral Home in Mt. Sterling is in charge of the arrangements.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary Alice Hillmann Edwards, please visit our floral store.