Published on October 27, 2025 7:02 am
Last Updated on October 29, 2025 10:40 am
Mary Helen Edwards, age 95, of Champaign, Illinois, and formerly of Willow Hill, Illinois, passed away at 11:40 PM – Saturday, October 25, 2025, at her home.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, November 1, 2025, at the Meyer Funeral Home in Newton, Illinois with Alvin Neidigh officiating. A visitation for family and friends will be held 1 hour (1:00-2:00 PM) prior to the service. Burial will be in the New St. Peter Cemetery near Newton, Illinois. In loving memory of Mary, memorial donations may be made to Jasper County Ministerial Association, PO Box 213, Newton, Illinois 62448, with envelopes available at the funeral home for their Christmas Food Boxes. The obituary can be viewed and condolences left at www.meyerfh.com.
Mary Helen was born on July 18, 1930, in Blue Mound, Illinois, the daughter of Cecil Henry and Mary Helen (Fickes) McVey. She married Ralph Hardy Edwards on August 20, 1964. They enjoyed 47 years building a wonderful life together of faith and family, until his passing on May 10, 2011.
Mary attended Niantic High School, graduating with the class of 1948. She grew up on the farm and sacrificed further education to help support her family. Yet her selfless work ethic and passion to help others, led her to be a lifelong student of both the Bible and of holistic healing practices. Mary was a prayer warrior, who with tender compassion readily saw those in need and generously gave in practical ways. In her later years, she discovered a gift for painting and created artwork that her family and friends now treasure. She loved spending time with her children and grandchildren, having a childlike zest for living and a knack for having fun, especially when defending her Triominos Champion title. In times of either celebration or crisis, she was just a phone call away. Her wisdom, comfort and believing prayers will be greatly missed..
Mary is survived by her children: Rachel Eugenia Palmberg of Champaign, Illinois; Roberta Darlene (Dan) Severin of Kansas City, Missouri; Robert Dale (Edith) Edwards of Carrollton, Virginia; and Cecil David Edwards of Murrieta, California; her sister, Patricia (David) Turner of Dallas, Texas; her seventeen grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, husband, siblings: Dean, William, Joe, Fairy Ellen (infant twin sister), Leroy, Cecil “Buck”, James, Priscilla, daughter-in-law Elizabeth, and step-sons, Keith and Dennis Edwards.
Burial will be in the New St. Peter Cemetery near Newton, Illinois. In loving memory of Mary, memorial donations may be made to Jasper County Ministerial Association, PO Box 213, Newton, Illinois 62448, with envelopes available at the funeral home for their Christmas Food Boxes. The obituary can be viewed and condolences left at www.meyerfh.com.
Mary Helen was born on July 18, 1930, in Blue Mound, Illinois, the daughter of Cecil Henry and Mary Helen (Fickes) McVey. She married Ralph Hardy Edwards on August 20, 1964. They enjoyed 47 years building a wonderful life together of faith and family, until his passing on May 10, 2011.
Mary attended Niantic High School, graduating with the class of 1948. She grew up on the farm and sacrificed further education to help support her family. Yet her selfless work ethic and passion to help others, led her to be a lifelong student of both the Bible and of holistic healing practices. Mary was a prayer warrior, who with tender compassion readily saw those in need and generously gave in practical ways. In her later years, she discovered a gift for painting and created artwork that her family and friends now treasure. She loved spending time with her children and grandchildren, having a childlike zest for living and a knack for having fun, especially when defending her Triominos Champion title. In times of either celebration or crisis, she was just a phone call away. Her wisdom, comfort and believing prayers will be greatly missed..
Mary is survived by her children: Rachel Eugenia Palmberg of Champaign, Illinois; Roberta Darlene (Dan) Severin of Kansas City, Missouri; Robert Dale (Edith) Edwards of Carrollton, Virginia; and Cecil David Edwards of Murrieta, California; her sister, Patricia (David) Turner of Dallas, Texas; her seventeen grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, husband, siblings: Dean, William, Joe, Fairy Ellen (infant twin sister), Leroy, Cecil “Buck”, James, Priscilla, daughter-in-law Elizabeth, and step-sons, Keith and Dennis Edwards.