Mary Hilgenbrinck died peacefully on December 14, 2019 at 2:40 a.m. in Martin Health Care Center in Bloomington, IL at the age of 89. She was surrounded by her family and the multitudes of the angels and saints in Christ.

Mary was born on October 8, 1930 in Quincy, IL to Joseph and Angela (Musholt) Ley. She was a student at St. Francis grade school and then attended Notre Dame High School in Quincy. She worked at the Maid-Rite during high school and at Illinois Bell Telephone after she graduated.

Mary professed a firm faith in Jesus Christ and was an active member of St. Edward Catholic Church in Mendon, IL. She was a member of St. Edward Church Altar and Rosary Society. Mary will be remembered by many as a faithful, devoted and loving wife (61 years), mother, grandmother, sister and aunt.

Mary, a city girl, married Bob, an Ursa farm boy, on August 22, 1953 and moved to the Mississippi River bottoms where she quickly embraced the farm life. She loved gardening, canning and freezing produce from the garden and restoring furniture. She raised all kinds of farm animals from bucket calves, rabbits, chickens, ducks and geese to Guineas. She made everything from ketchup to root beer and even had a failed attempt at strawberry wine.

Mary is survived by three brother, Joseph (Rita) Ley of Rogers, AR , and John (Betty) Ley and Robert (Delores) Ley of Quincy, IL; two sons, Mike (Kim) Hilgenbrinck of Bloomington, IL, and Tony (Lori) Hilgenbrinck of Ursa, IL; son-in-law Steve Ward of Mendon, IL; grandchildren, Blaise (Krista) Hilgenbrinck of Bloomington, IL, Rev. Chase Hilgenbrinck of Champaign, IL, Zachary Ward of Cedar Rapids, IA, Sara (Randy) Koch of Quincy, IL, Becky Ward of Mendon, IL, Andrew (Stephanie) Hilgenbrinck of Lima, IL, Maria (Seth) Leonard of St. Peters, MO, Anna (Hunter) Timmsen of Quincy, IL; and nineteen great-grandchildren.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Bob; her daughter, Christina; an infant son, Anthony; her parents, her brother Frank Ley and her sister Angela Ley.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, December 19, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. in the Duker & Haugh Funeral Home and a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. in St. Francis Solanus Catholic Church in Quincy, IL officiated by Rev. Chase Hilgenbrinck. Interment in Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Wednesday evening from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. with the Rosary at 3:30 p.m. at Duker & Haugh Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to St. John Catholic Newman Center, Champaign, IL for masses to be said in Mary’s memory.