On Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at 3:52 am, Mary Louise Tieken, 92, of Quincy, passed away at home.
Mary, the daughter of Kenneth Glen and Marie Moyers Hobbs, was born in Pleasant Hill, Illinois, on April 28, 1933. Irv Hagemeister was her husband. He passed away on November 4, 1993, before her. Later, on December 26, 1994, in Quincy, she wed Merle Tieken. He passed away on August 11, 2015, before her.
After graduating from Western Illinois University with a bachelor’s and master’s degree, Mary went on to Southern Illinois University in Carbondale to earn her doctorate. Mary was an assistant dean of instructional services at John Wood Community College and a business teacher at Quincy Notre Dame High School. She also served as a Vocational Administrator for 13 West-Central Illinois counties, which comprised 118 schools, three community colleges, and Western Illinois University, before retiring from the Illinois State Board of Education.
During the United States’ bicentennial celebration in 1976, Mary led a group of thirty local youths known as the Spirit In 76 Singers, who sang in churches, county fairs, and other venues. For many years, she directed cantatas, led choir, played the organ and piano, and taught Sunday school at the Loraine Christian Church. For many years, she belonged to the Bethel Assembly of God in Quincy. Mary presently attends The Crossing Church in Quincy, which is located at 48th Street.
For thirty-two years, Mary volunteered and served on the board of Children’s Medical Ministries. She was CMM’s president, vice president, trustee, co-chair, and grant writer. Together with neighborhood volunteers, Mary and Merle gathered discarded wheelchairs and sent them to Iowa for refurbishment before delivering them to underdeveloped nations worldwide. For this mission, Mary traveled all over the world to manage projects, build and fund schools, edit and provide instructional materials, distribute wheelchairs and medical equipment, and more. In addition to sharing the gospel and the love of Jesus Christ, she was a strong believer in helping the poorest of the poor in underdeveloped places where it is difficult to get wheelchairs and other medical necessities.
Mary decided to honor numerous family members who work in the medical industry by donating her body to research. “I might as well let someone get good use of my body since I will no longer need it,” she would constantly say.
Mary is survived by four children, Carrie (Marty) Cook, of Clayton, IL, Becky (Troy) Bowden, of Evansville, IN, Dan (Debbie Conley) Payne of Independence, MO, and Julie (Dan) Gordon, of Vandalia, IL; 10 grandchildren, Dr. Megan (Jordan) York, John (Kendra) Logsdon, Rachel (Chris) Carner, Abigail Bowden, Caleb (Leah) Cook, Brandon (Darrien) Cook, Jordan (Briana Wyckoff) Cook, Isaac (Sarah Faye Foltz) Francis, Leah (Jason) Pappas, Luke (Sarah) Francis; 10 great-grandchildren; two step-children, Jane Eichman, and Dan (Kathy) Hagemeister; seven step-grandchildren, Kassy (Joseph) McCluer, Monique (Lino) Gomez, Shyann Brown, Curtis (Jalea) Gordon, Courtney (Paul) Seipp, Alex Eichman, and Amber (Wes) Loeffler; 10 step great-grandchildren; a sister, June Dykman of Battlefield, MO; four sisters-in-law, Sara Hobbs, of Clever, MO, Jean Evans, Norma Buffington, and Dorothy Ann Spratt all of Quincy, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Mary’s parents, son-in-law Tracy Logsdon, sister Donna Holcomb, brother Richard Hobbs, six brothers-in-law Junior Holcomb, Jesse Jones, Harold Dykman, Edward Evans, Jack Spratt, and Tom Buffington, and three nephews, Jon Hobbs, Gary Holcomb, and Ken Jones, all passed away before her husbands.
Visitation: The Crossing Church campus at 48th Street, Thursday, July 10, 2025, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
Service: The Crossing Church, 48th Street campus, Thursday, July 10, 2025, 11:00 a.m.
Mary’s ashes will be interred in Mendon Cemetery in Mendon, Illinois, at a later time.
Memorials: In honor of David and Bonnie Jones, memorial contributions may be sent to Baptist Bible Fellowship International, Children’s Medical Ministries, John Wood Community College Foundation, or Horizons Social Services. You can make a memorial donation online at https://memorials.hansenspear.com/.
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The arrangements are handled by Hansen-Spear Funeral Directors.
