M. Joan Killough Obituary (1927 - 2014)

Marjorie Joan Rhinehart Killough, 86, of Tyler, Texas passed away peacefully at 7:46 a.m. on Saturday, July 19, 2014, at Providence Park Rehabilitation Hospital in Tyler.Her funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, July 28, 2014 at Carmody-Flynn Williamsburg Funeral Home, Bloomington, Illinois with Rev. Roger Pryor officiating. Burial will be in Park Hill Cemetery, Bloomington. Visitation will be from 2:00-4:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 27, 2014 at the funeral home. Interment will be in Park Hill Cemetery, Bloomington.In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Advocate BroMenn Medical Center or First United Methodist Church, both in Normal; or a charity of the donors choice.Joan was born at Brokaw Hospital in Normal on October 25, 1927, to Victor Langdon and Marjorie Gildersleeve Rhinehart. She married Robert Gene Killough, M.D. at the Hudson Baptist Church in Hudson, Illinois on August 19, 1951. Her husband predeceased her on May 17, 2005. She was also preceded in death by her only sibling, Robert Langdon Rhinehart, of Hudson, Illinois.Joan grew up on the Victor Family farm between Normal and Hudson. Her initial taste of school was at five years old at the "One Room School House" just south of the family farm, where she insisted she attend "just because her brother did". Her formal education began at the Hudson Grade School, where she attended through the 5th grade, and she completed 6th through 8th grades at Thomas Metcalf School in Normal.Joan graduated from University High School in Normal in 1945 and then attended Northwestern University, where she was a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority and earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Zoology. Thereafter, she attended Wesley Memorial School of Nursing in Chicago,rnwhere she graduated with a three year nursing degree in 1950.Joan loved her nursing career, which included two years of teaching at Northwestern before marrying her husband and moving to Normal to raise her family. In addition to nursing, she loved classical music, blue bell ice cream (a Texas classic), the roses that bloomed on her patio, and the special relationships with family and friends which she faithfully maintained by means of her yearly Christmas cards.Joan was a loving mother to her two children, Robert Victor Killough of Dallas, Texas and John Scott Killough of Tyler, Texas, as well as her "Guardian Angel" daughter-in-law, Susie. She adored her grandchildren: Ian Scott Killough of Tulsa, Oklahoma; Courtney Leigh Killough of Tyler, Texas; and Robert Andrew Killough of College Station, Texas, all of whom survive her. She was very close to her two beloved sisters-in-law: Alice Schuemaker and Linda Killough, both of Clinton, Illinois. She is also survived by seven nieces and nephews: Linda Rhinehart of Normal; Kathy Fitton of Hudson; Mark Rhinehart of Hudson; Mark Killough of Clinton; Debbie Hass of Clinton; Alice Moss of McComb, Illinois; and Garel Schuemaker of Clinton, as well as many grandnieces and grandnephews.While raising her family, Joan was active in the Womens Medical Auxiliary, the First United Methodist Church in Normal, and the Daughters of the American Revolution. Later, she worked in her husbands solo medical practice and helped manage the familys agricultural interests. She was passionate about the "U-High Girls" Bridge Club and maintained those close high school relationships even after she moved to Texas.After moving to Tyler, Joan lived independently until the last six weeks of her life. Her greatest desire at the end was to simply "go to sleep" so that she wouldnt be a burden to her family. God graciously granted her request Saturday morning when she told her nurse that she was tired and just wanted to take a nap; and so she did. She wanted to express her thanks to all of her doctors in Tyler who took such good care of her and to the caregivers at Providence Park for their loving care over the last few weeks.Her graciousness, thoughtfulness to others, insight, and presence will be greatly missed by all her family and friends.