Maurice Leonard Illy
A Mass of Christian Burial for Maurice Leonard Illy of Elsberry was held at 10 a.m., Friday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Elsberry. Fr. Lou Dorn, of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Louisiana, officiated with burial in Elsberry City Cemetery near Elsberry.
Visitation was from 4-8 p.m., Thursday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Elsberry.
Mr. Illy, 90, died Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018 at the Elsberry Health Care Center near Elsberry.
Born Sept. 5, 1927 in O’Fallon he was the son of Edward F. and Stella H. Algermissen Illy. He was a 1945 graduate of Assumption High School in O’Fallon.
Maurice served his country in the United States Air Force from Jan. 19, 1952 until he was honorably discharged on Jan. 18, 1956. He was united in marriage on April 7, 1956 at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in St. Charles to Anna Marie Weber. This union was blessed with nine children, Edward, Janet, Judy, Kenny, Jim, Kathryn, Steve, Beth and Mary Ann.
He lived and worked on his parent’s farm in O’Fallon before moving to his own farm in Elsberry in 1971. He had a love for International Tractors. Active in the Pike and Lincoln County areas, Maurice was a 4-H leader, VFW Post #5553 in Bowling Green an honorary member of the Clopton FFA, and a member of Pike County SWCD.
Maurice often passed the time duck hunting, playing pinochle, telling stories, and making strangers into friends. Maurice was a longtime member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church where he was active in the Knights of Columbus.
He was preceded in death by parents, Edward and Stella Illy; one brother, Ralph Illy; and four sisters, Geraldine Hoff, Madeline Dove, Rosella Saettele, and Esther Illy as an infant.
Survivors include his beloved wife of 61 years, Anna Illy of Elsberry; their children, Edward Illy and wife, Karen of Eolia, Janet Morris and husband, Tom, of Bloomington, Ill., Judy Lagemann and husband, Mark of Bowling Green, Kenny Illy and wife, Cheryl of Wentzville, Jim Illy and wife, Jill of St. Peters, Kathryn Ploch and husband, Eric of Austin, Texas, Steve Illy and wife, Lori Ann of Elsberry, Beth Patterson and husband, Chris of Cincinnati, Ohio and Mary Ann Leake and husband, Mike of Eolia; 31 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Serving as pallbearers were his grandsons. Honorary pallbearers were his granddaughters.
Memorials may be made to the Sacred Heart Catholic Church Outreach, JR Palmer Family Memorial Library or the Elsberry Health Care Center, c/o Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 S. 5th Street; Elsberry, MO 63343.
Online condolences may be made at www.carterricksfuneralhome.com.
