Mary J Biehler
(July 11, 1931 – October 10, 2011)
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, October 14, 2011 in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Strasburg with Rev. Steven Becker officiating. Visitation will be from 10:00-11:00 a.m. Friday in the church. Burial will be in St. Paul Cemetery, Strasburg. Memorials may be given to Lincolnland Hospice or St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Strasburg. Arrangements are being handled by Howe and Yockey Funeral Home of Strasburg, IL.
Mary was born July 11, 1931 in Strasburg, Illinois, the daughter of the late Gilbert and Lucille Huffmaster Stremming of Strasburg. She married LeRoy Edward Biehler August 19, 1951 in Strasburg and moved to Mattoon. She is survived by her three children: Edward Jan Biehler, wife Linda and son Joshua in Essex, MO; Jeannette Ann and husband Timothy Joyner serving as Missionaries in Entebbe, Uganda East Africa; and Kathryn Marie Kious and fiancé Jeffrey Lynn Clark of Tower Hill, her son Andrew D. Kious and wife Catrina in Collinsville, IL and Kathy’s daughter Kira Kious of Mattoon.
Also surviving are her sister, Laveta and husband Wayne Reel of Mattoon; brothers, Gaylord and his wife Dixie Stremming and Richard and his wife Catherine Stremming of both of Strasburg; sisters-in-law, Gail Biehler and Carolyn Stremming both of Strasburg and Wilma Stremming of Shelbyville; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband, Roy; grandson, Christopher Biehler; and brothers, Keith and Kenneth as well as infant twin brothers, Kermit and Kerwin Stremming.
Roy and Mary operated Biehler’s Hatchery and Farm Supply of Mattoon, IL from 1943 until 1984. Mary retired from Illinois Consolidated Phone Company of Mattoon where she worked for 29 years. She was with ICTC before wedding, then took years off to have her family. She returned to ICTC after working for some years at the old Montgomery Wards in Mattoon. After retirement she worked briefly for Enterprise Car Rentals. She volunteered at the Mattoon Food Bank and also at the Douglas Nature Center, where she was a greeter. Mary has an extensive collection of Ruby Red Glass. Her first set was a pitcher and juice glasses which were her mothers. She also enjoyed a weekly game of Bingo with the Senior Citizens in Mattoon and the Tuesday “Dollar Burgers” at the Moose Club.
She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Charleston, IL.
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