Margaret P Birkey
April 4, 1925 ~ May 25, 2019
Margaret P. Birkey, 94, of Wyanet, IL passed away peacefully with her children at her side on May 25, 2019 at Liberty Village in Princeton, IL. She was born on April 4, 1925 in Ohio, IL to Mary Jeanette (Anderson) and Oren DeLacour Pomeroy.
This is a little long, but so was her life! Strap in and hold on for the ride... Margaret attended one-room schools in the Ohio area before graduating as a Princeton Tiger in 1943. Fun Fact: between her junior and senior years in high school, she competed in the Miss Illinois pageant and was named First Runner Up for Miss Illinois.
Having been raised on a dairy farm in Ohio, she always loved the farm life. On March 31, 1950, she married Irvin Floyd Birkey (1923-1997) of Wyanet. They began farming in 1951 northwest of Wyanet where their first two children, Randall Irvin (1952) and Jeanette Ann (1953) were born. In 1956, they moved to another farm outside of Wyanet where two more children were born: Richard Oren (1956) and Janine Elise (1963). In 1976, they moved to the edge of Wyanet where she resided until her death.
Margaret raised their children, supported the farming operation throughout her life and became the office manager/bookkeeper for J.I. Case Company in Princeton in 1969. In 1981, she was elected Wyanet Township Clerk and subsequently served as Township Supervisor from 1985 through 2005. During this time, she farmed with her husband and upon his death in 1997, she
partnered with her son in the farming operation and ran the combine until age 92. For the pasttwo years, she frequented the fields and managed the farm finances from her dining room table.
She lived life big and loved adventure, traveled the United States and even to England to visit the Pomeroy Castle for her 80th birthday. She had a green thumb and enjoyed growing everything from houseplants and an annual vegetable garden to corn and beans. Harvest was her favorite time of year... a time when everyone comes together to achieve a common goal. It was the comradery she loved. She was very wise, honest and rarely minced words. The
incredible glint and determination in her bright blue Irish eyes were always there to remind us of her strength and fortitude.
She was preceded in death by her mother, father and four siblings: Katherine Lundgren, Joseph Pomeroy, Oren Pomeroy and Frances Husser; her husband Irvin Floyd Birkey; and one great-grandson, Trevor Michael Birkey.
Her legacy continues as she is survived by her four children: Randall Irvin (Lori) Birkey of Princeton, Jeanette Ann (Thomas) Schrock of Putnam, Richard Oren (Trudi Roberts) Birkey of Princeton and Janine Elise Hartley of Seneca, SC.
Also surviving are 15 grandchildren: Justin Irvin (Elizabeth) Birkey and Ryne Edwin (Katherine) Birkey; Justin Winter, Matt Winter, Brad (Sybil) Schrock, Brian Schrock, Stacy (Wayne) Peacock, Deanne (Kevin) McNamara, Ryan Rod, Sean Rod, Sara Rod, Jared Buckman, Bruce (Jill) Hartley Jr, Cassandra (Eric) Walton and Jacqueline (Jay) Bader. Her grandkids gave her 23 great-grandkids: Savanna, Tyler, Brooklyn and Travis Birkey; Isabella and Wyatt Birkey; Hunter, Braden and Harper Schrock; Brian Schrock; Lindsey (Peacock) Burrows; Brennan, Chantel and Joshua Corwin; Liam (Sean) Rod; Xayvier and Mariyana Hartley; Kaihosha, Kareem, Kohana and Taylor Walton; Natalya and Clancy Bader. And 2 of her great-grandchildren gave her great-great grandchildren, Kellen Burrows and Victor Corwin.
Services will be held Friday, May 31, 2019 at Grant-Johnson Funeral Home in Princeton, IL. Visitation is from 10am-12pm, with a service officiated by Pastor Tom Schrock at noon. A celebration of her life will be held from 2pm to 5pm at Chapel Hill Golf Course, which was one of Margaret’s old stomping grounds back in the day. Honorary pall bearers are Justin and Ryne Birkey, Rex and Larry Klingenberg, Doug Wiggim, Ted Mochel, Billy Sissel and Jimmy Jeffrey.
Memorials may be directed to the Wyanet VFW.
So very sorry for your loss
We always enjoyed visiting with Margaret when she would bring & pick up her Memorial Day planters we would plant for her. She was a wealth of knowledge of things both present and past – even about some of our Hamrick family’s past. We were so surprised to hear of Margaret’s passing just 2 days after Jeanette picked up the Memorial planters as we thought she was doing well in Bounce Back.
Our condolences to the whole family.
Martha (Hjertstedt) Bowyer & Ruth (Hjertstedt) Draper
Red Barn Nursery
So sorry to hear about Margaret’s passing. I will miss her coming to the clinic with her big smile! I always enjoyed our brief conversations. Our prayer is that good memories will keep you all strong.