Mary Pepper

JERSEYVILLE -   Mary Pepper, 93, was called home by Jesus, at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19, 2020, at Des Peres Hospital in St. Louis County, Missouri.She was born in Chautauqua, Illinois on August 26, 1926, one of three children born to Edward and Edna (Stiermann) Zimmerman.Mary graduated in 1943 from Jersey Township High School in Jerseyville and attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois.Mary was a true believer in God, and in its truest form, possessed a heart of a giver.  Her main goal in life was to be a blessing to the Lord.   She gave of her time to any in need, and was a frequent visitor to all the area nursing homes spreading joy and happiness.She was employed as a CNA at Jersey Community Hospital in Jerseyville for several years, retiring in 1997, but spent the majority of her adult life being that of a loving mother, and devoted wife to her husband, James, assisting him in their ministry of love and compassion.She married the Rev. James Pepper on April 22, 1949 in Chicago, Illinois and together they were blessed with 56 years of marriage until his death on Sept. 24, 2005.Surviving are two daughters and sons in-law, Ruth and John Hayward of Eugene, Oregon and Mary and Robert Parker of Jerseyville; 10 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.In addition to her parents and her beloved husband, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Bethany Ann White on Sept. 23, 2001; a son, John Stephen Pepper on Feb. 12, 2012; and two brothers, Paul Zimmerman and Daniel Zimmerman.Due to the coronavirus, private graveside services will be conducted on Tuesday, March 24, 2020 at Oak Grove Cemetery in Jerseyville.Memorials may be given to the Angel Tree Program of Jersey County, in care of Crawford Funeral Home in Jerseyville.For those desiring, memories may be shared at crawfordfunerals.com.

Obit Provided By:
Crawford Funeral Home