Marjorie M. Hobkirk

It is with a great sense of loss and sadness that the family of Marjorie Maxine Hobkirk announces that she left this world on the afternoon of Monday, April 28, 2025, at Liberty Village in Pittsfield, Illinois at the age of 100. She was born in New Salem, IL on October 28, 1924, to Rossie Ray and Beatrice "Bea" (Chambers) Moore. She is survived by her children, Cheryl A. Petty, William "Bill" R. Hobkirk (Diana), Nancy L. Knight (Eddie), and Carla J. Herron (Daryl); grandchildren Ellen L. Petty, Tracy R. Hillyer (Chris), Chad E. Knight (Amy), Jacob R. Herron (Robin), Robert "Bobby" J. Knight (Sarah), Tyler T. Herron (Sarah), and William "Billy" M. Hobkirk (Val); and great-grandchildren Leah (Ryan), Khloe (Pete), Levi, Cale, Blake, Zayn, Izaak, Rilyn, Baylie, Kennedy, Millie, Rhyan, Harper, Vendacee, Libby, Emrie; and one step great-grandchild, Natalie. She also left behind many special and wonderful friends, including Lisa Krumwiede, who kept her hair looking fabulous for decades, and treated her with great kindness. Marjorie married William "Bill" Hobkirk, Jr. on May 26, 1945, in Barry, IL, after spending a year living and working in Washington D.C. in support of the WWII war effort. They raised their four children in the home full of love and laughter that they built together in 1958 in Pittsfield, where they lived out the rest of their lives. Her family has a multitude of happy memories of the numerous progressively larger family gatherings that she so thoughtfully planned and hosted in that home over the past 67 years. Marge retired after her career at General Telephone (GTE), starting out as a telephone operator in the Pittsfield office, and later as a customer service representative in the business office in Jacksonville. After her retirement, she worked in the office of Dr. Dean Artman, on the square in Pittsfield. She was also a very active member of the New Salem United Methodist Church, as well as the UMW, through which she found great joy and developed many treasured friendships. She enjoyed volunteering her time at Illini Community Hospital. She was also a long-time member of the local chapter of TOPS, serving as its Treasurer for several years. Throughout her life, you could often find Marge attending auctions all around the area, buying the many patterns of glassware that she enjoyed collecting. If there was a good sale, she was sure to be there, often with her daughters. (Her family members were all told that when her things were eventually sold at auction, she hoped they would be nice and clean - as she always kept an immaculate house and would never want anyone to think otherwise.) She kept a booth at the Summer Hill Antique Mall for several years to sell her auction finds, as well. When she wasn't buying and selling Depression Glass, she loved reading and couldn't get enough of Danielle Steel or Richard Paul Evans. She kept her mind sharp by doing crossword puzzles and watching Jeopardy. In her later years, she appreciated that the Pittsfield Public Library would bring her the books that she loved to devour. She also made a number of cross-stitch and embroidery projects, many of which won prizes at the Pike County Fair. She taught us that if a thing was worth doing, it was worth doing right. She loved to stay busy and was always quite industrious. She lived through the Great Depression and a few wars and military conflicts, including the attack on Pearl Harbor. She lived through 18 U.S. Presidencies, and numerous historical events that most of us only read about in books. She went from growing up in a farmhouse without heat or indoor plumbing to keeping up with her family on social media and streaming movies on Netflix. She had so many interesting stories to tell about her life and everything she had experienced. More than anything though, she took pride and joy in her family. There was nothing more important than spending time with her loved-ones, and she was definitely the undisputed matriarch of our family. She was a loving, thoughtful, attentive mother, grandmother, and aunt. Her door was always open, and you were made to feel welcome, without fail. If you ever visited and left her house hungry, it was your own fault. She was known for her delicious fried chicken with mashed potatoes whipped to perfection and covered in the best milk gravy you'd ever tasted. We will miss her pressed chicken, meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, salads, goulash, and, well - just about everything she ever made. She had a massive collection of well-worn recipe books, and she loved trying out new recipes when family would come to visit. If you had a favorite dish, she always had it prepared in advance of your arrival. Her pies and cookies were the best to be found anywhere, probably because they were always made with so much love. Marge was preceded in death by her loving and devoted husband, Bill Hobkirk, Jr., and grandson Michael "Mike" Christopher Knight, as well as both of her parents and all of her siblings, and many beloved friends and family, as can be expected of any centenarian. Marjorie's family is so thankful that she lived such a long, happy, and fulfilling life, and that her passing was peaceful and pain-free. We take comfort in knowing that she is finally reunited with Bill and the rest of her departed loved-ones and that she will be watching over all of us until we can be with her again. Funeral service will be held at 11:30 AM, Saturday, May 3, 2025, at Niebur Funeral Home in Pittsfield, IL with visitation held prior to the service from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to be made to New Salem United Methodist Church. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.nieburfh.com. Niebur Funeral Home in Pittsfield is handling the arrangements. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Marjorie M. (Moore) Hobkirk, please visit our floral store.