Published on October 17, 2025 3:52 pm
Last Updated on October 17, 2025 3:55 pm
Margaret B. Reynolds, 97, of Effingham, IL, passed away on Thursday, October 16, 2025 at HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital in Effingham, IL.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at St. Mary’s Annunciation Catholic Church of the B.V.M. in Shumway, IL. Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at Johnson Funeral Home in Effingham. A private burial will be held at St. Mary Cemetery in Mokena, IL at a later date. In lieu of flowers and gifts, memorials may be made to Catholic Charities or Effingham Family Life Center. Online condolences may be shared at www.johnsonandsonsfh.com.
Margaret was born on March 1, 1928 in Navan, County Meath, Ireland, the daughter of Bernard and Elizabeth (nee Donnegan) Carey. She married Roger P. Reynolds on February 23, 1957, in Rathgar, County Dublin, Ireland and he preceded her in death on December 27, 2015. Margaret grew up on a farm in rural Ireland and loved helping her father, especially with his horse. She contracted tuberculosis as a child, a disease to which she lost both of her brothers. She recovered yet this ended her formal schooling. Upon marriage she and Roger, her love, took the risk of leaving home for America, first to Canada and then to the Chicago area of the U.S.A. where they made their home. Her primary vocation was Mother, and God gave her 7 children in 8 years! Being a persistent woman she had a wide variety of work. She learned to read alongside her children and continued to teach herself as an adult thanks to a Bible study group. Her strong Catholic faith carried her family consistently through challenging times as well as the good. As an adult she enjoyed tennis as her children were learning and bike rides with Roger through their neighborhood. Thanksgiving was always a highlight having her family around her and treating them with her Irish Soda Bread, and special Turkey Stuffing. She spent her last 11 years in Effingham, residing in assisted living at the Villas of Hollybrook and StoneBridge Memory Care. Margaret will be remembered as a kind loving mother who always put her children first. A selfless soul who made the best of what she had.
Margaret is survived by her children, Thomas (Lori) Reynolds, Rosemary Reynolds, Geraldine Haloup, Angela (Daniel) Woods, Brian (Jenn) Reynolds, and Diane Walsh; 12 grandchildren; 6 greatgrandchildren; nephews, John Lyons, John Reynolds, and Thomas (Marian) Reynolds; and niece, Aileen Arsenault Eglington.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Roger; son, Roger M. Reynolds; grandsons, Roger V. Reynolds and Colin B. Woods; and her siblings, Tony Carey, Bertie Carey, Florie French and Mae Lyons.