Mary Ellen Deien
- Service Location
Private Graveside Service
- Full Obituary
Mary Ellen Deien, age 81, of Breese, passed away Monday, January 3, 2022 at Aviston Countryside Manor.
She was born April 8, 1940 in Breese, a daughter of Wilma, nee Sellers, Berndsen of Breese and the late Edward Berndsen.
In addition to her mother, Mary Ellen is survived by daughters, Melissa (fiancé Albert Johnson) Howard, Jodi (Don) Winkeler, and Christi (Mark) Howard all of Breese; grandchildren, Jesse (Tina) Howard, Crystal (Dustin) Payne, Alisha (special friend Jared Hill) Howard, Albert Johnson II, Kassie (Zac) Stuckemeyer, Zachary (special friend Kaelyn) Winkeler, Cameron (Chelsea) Winkeler, Kyra (fiancé CJ Logan) Howard, Carson Howard, and Gabriel Howard; great-grandchildren, Madilyn Howard, Tori and Wyatt Payne, Christian and Elijah Howard, Neely, Lilliana, and Paisley Winkeler; sister, Gloria (Lou) Garavaglia of St. Louis; and her devoted 2nd family at Aviston Countryside Manor that referred to Mary Ellen as “Grandma”.
Besides her father, she was preceded in death by her former husband James “Jim” Deien, whom she married February 10, 1962 at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Breese and who died May 27, 2021.
Mary Ellen was a housewife and mom, and formerly worked as a daycare provider and at Basler Electric in Highland, and retired from housekeeping at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Breese. She enjoyed Bingo, fishing, crocheting, quilting, and tending to her landscape flower gardens at her home.
She was a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church in Breese.
A private graveside service will be held at St. Dominic/St. Augustine Cemetery, Breese.
In lieu of flowers, plants, and other gifts, memorials may be made Hospice of Southern Illinois and will be received through Moss Funeral Home, 535 N. 5th, Breese, IL 62230 who is serving the family.
