Marjorie Palermo

Marjorie Ann (Woosley) Palermo, 92, passed away at 4:56 am, Saturday, March 13, 2021 at her home with her family at her side.

She was born December 19, 1928 in Winchester, the fourth child of Anson Oral and Grace May (Anders) Woosley.

In her younger years, she enjoyed bowling with her friends and playing fast pitch softball.

In 1942, the family moved from Winchester to East Alton. Marjorie graduated from East Alton-Wood River Community High School with the class of 1947. In 1945, she was voted by the student body to be their Harvest Queen. She was a member of Holy Angels Parish in Wood River and also the funeral luncheon committee. 

After graduating, she was hired by Illinois Bell Telephone Company as a telephone operator and later transferred to the business office in Wood River. While there, she was married to Paul J. Palermo at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Wood River. They were married 63 years until the death of Paul in 2013.

In 1950, she was named “Miss Alton”. She was a former president and voted sweetheart of Gamma Epsilon Chapter of Beta Sigma Pi and was a former member of the National Secretaries Association Alton chapter. She served 36 years as a volunteer, donor, and member of Operation Blessing, “People that Care”, food pantry in Wood River, and was secretary of the executive board. 

Her employment included 22 years with American Smelting and Refining Company, Federal Metallurgical Division, in Alton. The plant closed in 1982 and she retired as secretary to the plant manager. She later was employed 10 years as secretary to the business manager of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 553 Union in East Alton. She retired in 1994. 

She was a loving and respected mother, wife, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She loved her family, helping people, and loved animals; especially dogs. 

She is survived by her daughters; Mary Ann “Missy” (Pat Spahr) Palermo of Wood River, and Tina (Tom) Davis from Florida; five grandchildren, Christopher (Jennifer) Booher, Zackary Booher, Tyler Palermo, Trisha (Nick Thomeczek) Palermo, and Tara (Ben) Bergstrom; four great-grandchildren, Phoebe Booher, Taylor Jo and Tinley Dee Thomeczek; a godson, David Vandiver; and several nieces, nephews and cousins whom she loved very much.

Marjorie was preceded in death by her parents; husband; son, Timothy Paul Palermo; great-grandson, Hunter Thomeczek; two brothers and a sister-in-law, Oral Woosley and Donald (Irene) Woosley; sister and brother-n-law, Phyllis (Joe) Alred; five nephews, Ricky, Steve, Butch, and Bruce Woosley, and Gale Ahern; niece, Pat Woosley-Meyers; sister-in-law and her husband, Catherine (Angelo) Masslone; and mother and father-in-law, Gasper and Mary Palermo.

Private, family services will be held with burial in Woodland Hill Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Operation Blessing, “People that Care” and Riverbend Humane Society.

Marks Mortuary in Wood River is entrusted with the arrangements. 

Obit Provided By:
Mark's Mortuary