Mary E. McBride

July 6, 1926 - December 16, 2017

Mary Elizabeth (Gillespie) McBride, age 91 years, a resident of Simpson, Illinois, passed away Saturday afternoon, December 16, 2017, at 1:44 PM at her home. Mary was born Tuesday, July 6, 1926, in Galatia, Illinois. She was the daughter of Lloyd and Blanche (Avery) Gillespie. On November 10, 1944, she was united in marriage to Walter McBride of rural Vienna, Illinois. They were married in Lloyd Gillespie’s home in the Ballowe community in Johnson County. Walter preceded her in death on October 19, 1988. Mary is survived by: a brother – John Gillespie of Vienna; 2 sisters – Margaret Graves and Theresa Gray both of Vienna. Mary and Walter had eight children, all of whom survive: Ronald McBride of Simpson, James (his wife, Virginia) McBride of rural Vienna, Elizabeth (her husband, Karlan) Pepin of Manteno, Billy (his wife, Betty) McBride of Florence, Montana, Peggy (her husband, Randy) Hoots of Simpson, Patricia Green of Simpson, Ethel “Jackie” Catoe of Karnak, and Mary Ellen (her husband, Gary) Mathis of Eleva, Wisconsin; 25 grandchildren; 68 great grandchildren; 22 great-great grandchildren; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and many dear friends. Mary was preceded in death by: her parents, Lloyd and Blanche Gillespie; a brother – Charles Gillespie; 2 sisters – Lena Bean and Blanche Ruth Gillespie; 2 grandsons – Ronnie McBride, Jr. and Anthony Pepin; her beloved husband – Walter McBride; 2 sons-in-law – Jimmy Catoe and Richard Green; as well as her best friend – Marie (Musgraves) McBride. When Mary was 18 months old, her family moved from Galatia to Belknap, Illinois. They moved in a covered wagon and she liked to tell the story, which was told to her by her mother, about how they got up before daylight, milked the cow and then took off for Belknap. When they got there, the milk which was in a milk can hung under the wagon had turned to butter. Mary had many more stories about growing up. She wrote what she called “My Life Story” a 56 page handwritten manuscript, which she penned at the age of 85. Mary worked for several years at Uncle Ned’s (Ned’s Shed) as did all of her sisters. Her great nephew, Kevin Breeden and his wife Angie, run it now. Later, she worked at Manteno State Hospital as a nurse’s aide. She always got a laugh when asked where she was from and she said “Hell’s Neck” (where they lived for 16 years and it was where Walter was raised). Mary was a homemaker. She enjoyed flowers, gardening, and quilting. She particularly cherished time spent “raising” her grandchildren. Mary was of the Baptist faith and a lifelong member of the Ballowe Baptist Church in rural Johnson County. A service honoring the life of Mary Elizbeth (Gillespie) McBride will be held at 1 PM Friday, December 22, 2017, at Bailey Funeral Home in Vienna. Father Robert Smith will officiate. Burial will be in the Bridges Cemetery, southwest of Vienna. Visitation will be conducted Thursday evening, December 21, 2017, from 5 PM – 8 PM at Bailey Funeral Home in Vienna. Memorials may be made to the Bridges Cemetery, c/o Theresa Gray, P.O. Box 11, Vienna, IL 62995.