Marilyn Isola McRoy

Marilyn Isola (Buford) McRoy, 83, of Murphysboro, passed away at 9:34 p.m. Sunday, May 27, 2018, at St. Joseph Memorial Hospital in Murphysboro. Marilyn was born on October 20, 1934, in Grimsby, Illinois, to Louis E. Buford and Wilma J. (Whisler) Buford. She married Paul E. McRoy on Saturday, August 31, 1957, at the First Christian Church in Murphysboro by Preacher A. J. Collins. Paul preceded her in death on Sunday, February 14, 2016, after 58 years together. Marilyn's first year of school was in a one room school house. She started to work at the age of 14 at the former Lipe's Bakery. When she was 16, she went to work at the former Ray-Mar Cafe, where she worked until she was 18. She then went to work for the telephone company, which was the Illinois Commercial Telephone Company at that time. She retired after thirty-three years with the telephone company, which at that time was GTE. Mrs. McRoy was a member of the First Christian Church of Murphysboro and was a third grade Sunday School Teacher for several years and a member of the Workers for Christ Sunday School Class. She was a member of the St. Joseph Hospital Auxiliary, Treasurer of the Shawnee Christian Nursing Home Auxiliary in Herrin, Senior Citizens, the Paul Stout American Legion Post # 127 Ladies Auxiliary and Local Union # 702. She is survived by a daughter and son in law Paula and Jon Baker of Herrin; four grandchildren Hollie Reams and Nik Reams and their families of Murphysboro, Kristy Stapleton and her husband Andy and their children Josie and Carly of Creal Springs, and Mike Baker and his wife Bridget Baker of St. Petersburg, FL; two nephews Scott Higgins of Forest Hills, NY and Greg McRoy and his wife Deb of Carterville; one niece Leslie Staffey and her husband Sam of Pinckneyville, and her children James Ridgon and Jaclyn Ridgon of Murphysboro; a brother in law Dayton Higgins of Elmhurst, NY; several cousins, lots of friends especially her church family and the girls she worked with and went to lunch with. She was preceded in death by her husband Paul, parents, one sister Rhonda Lou Higgins, one brother in law James McRoy, Jr., his wife Edith (Jo) and their daughter Patricia. Funeral services will be held at 12 noon Saturday, June 2, 2018, at Pettett Funeral Home, officiated by Mike Williams, who she loved like a son, and burial at Murdale Gardens of Memory, next to her husband. Visitation will be from 10 to 12 noon on Saturday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the National Kidney Foundation or to the American Diabetes Association. For more information, please visit www.pettettfuneralhome.com.

Marilyn Isola McRoy

October 20, 1934 - May 27, 2018