Mary Ellen McPeak (79) of Louisville

Mary Ellen McPeak, 79, of Louisville passed away peacefully at 9:22 am Tuesday, August 8, 2023 at her home in Louisville with her loving family by her side.

She was born on July 17, 1944, in Clay County, Illinois, the daughter of Thomas E. and Grace I. (Haynes) Thompson. She married Charles W. McPeak on October 9, 1986 in Flora, Illinois and they shared 33 years of marriage before he preceded her in death on October 15, 2019. Mary's loving spirit and kind heart touched the lives of everyone around her. She was a member of the Community Southern Baptist Church in Clay City, Illinois. Mary worked at Spartan Manufacturing in Flora for 20 years and retired in 1986. She had made many lifelong friends from her time spent working there. She spent the remainder of her life with the love of her life Charlie, and worked as a full-time homemaker, and loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She took great pride in her family, and every task she did was with the utmost diligence and care. Mary had a passion for quilting. She poured her heart into every quilt, and enjoyed giving them to her family. In addition to quilting, Mary enjoyed visiting resale stores, always on the lookout for hidden treasures that held stories waiting to be discovered. One of Mary’s other loves was cooking, despite not having room in her own home for gatherings, she always prepared wonderful meals for her families many gatherings. Every family member had one of Mary’s favorite dishes that they will miss so much. Gathering around the table with laughter and conversation created cherished memories that will forever be treasured by her family.

She is survived by a legacy of love through her children: Julia (Randy) Mitchel of Flora, Brenda (Marvin) Tibbs of Flora, Lori Upton of Flora, Rob (Jean) Thomas of Raeford, North Carolina, JoAnn (Darrell) Schoonover of Louisville, Kelly (Darin) Quinn of Louisville; 17 grandchildren; 23 great grandchildren; daughter-in-law: Ronda Atkisson; sonin-law: Tom O'Dell; brother: Marvin (Rosemary) Thompson of Anoka, Minnesota; several nieces, nephews, and friends.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents; husband; son: Richard Atkisson; daughter: Kathi O'Dell; 2 grandsons: Dustin Barnes, Allen Cosner; and a sister: Kay Fountain.

The family would like to give special thanks to HSHS Hospice, and SPS Home/Hospital Care for their love and support during their time of need.

Funeral services to celebrate Mary's life will be at 1:00 pm Saturday, August 12, 2023 at the McGriff Funeral Home in Louisville with Joe Smith officiating. Burial will follow at the Toliver Cemetery, Louisville. Visitation will be held on Saturday at the funeral home where friends may call from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. To sign the guestbook online or share a memory of Mary, please visit by clicking here.