Mary Jane (Boeddeker) Heagy

Mary Jane Heagy, 96, of La Salle died peacefully April 10, 2021, at Heritage Health in Peru with her family by her side.

Mary Jane was born April 21, 1924, at home on the prairie in Hancock County, Illinois. She was the fifth born child of nine to Ferdinand Joseph and Amanda Jane (Worrell) Boeddeker. She was a 1941 graduate of Elvaston High School where she met her future husband, George Merlin Heagy of Elvaston. The couple would marry April 14, 1945, in the rectory at St. Mary’s Parish in Nauvoo while he was on leave from the United States Marine Corps.

A longtime singer and musician, she and her singing partner were live on the radio when the attack on Pearl Harbor was announced; they stayed to sing, “God Bless America.” Before marriage, she moved to Chicago with her sister, Blanche, and future sister-in-law, Louise Heagy, where they were employed by the Internal Revenue Bureau. Locally, she worked in the fuse department for Westclox in Peru, then later at Electrical Utilities in La Salle. 

In 1955, she and Merlin moved with their five children from Warsaw, Illinois to La Salle. They were very active in the church community belonging first to St. Roch’s Catholic Church in La Salle where she was organist, choir director, and served as secretary on the church council. At Resurrection Parish, she was cantor, lector, and extraordinary Eucharistic minister, providing visits to local nursing homes and homebound persons, and served as president of the Sanctuary and Rosary Society. For 10 years during that time, they resided at Lake Thunderbird, where she also did piano accompaniment for a variety of children in musical competitions. When Resurrection was closed, she joined St. Patrick’s Parish and sang with the funeral choir.

Mary Jane was a seven-year member of the St. Bede’s Mother’s Club, serving as president 1967-68. She also enjoyed working with the Special Persons Encounter Christ group providing socialization and entertainment.

She is survived by three children, George M. Heagy Jr. of Peru, Donald L. (Patti) Heagy of Peru, who served as her caregivers for several years, Cynthia J. (Dan) Rolando of Oglesby, 12 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren. She also is survived by one sister, Dorothy (Dave) McMullen of Nixa, Missouri; one sister-in-law, Shirley (Ken) Hartweg of Normal; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1988; daughter, Nancy S. Marchiando in 2005; son, Richard J. Heagy in 2005; one great-grandson in 2006; one brother; and six sisters.

Tributes may be directed to the family for a memorial to be determined at a later date or to a charity of your choice in Mary Jane’s name.

Visitation will be 10 a.m.-noon Wednesday, April 14 followed by Mass in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 725 Fourth St., La Salle. The funeral mass will be live streamed via the Hurst Funeral Home Facebook page.

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