Mary Kathryn (Knoblett) Rodgers

Mary Kathryn (Knoblett) Rodgers, 90, of Robinson, IL, passed away on February 2, 2023, at Crawford Memorial Hospital in Robinson. She was born on February 29, 1932, in Alice, TX, the daughter of O.H. & Ada (Stokes) Knoblett. After graduating from Robinson Township High School in 1948, Mary went to work as a secretary for the Cox & Cox Attorney Law Firm. In 1949, Mary married John W. Rodgers. They were divorced in 1979.

Mary chose to bless her family as a stay-at-home wife and mother. Her devotion to her children was also evident in her many years as a beloved Cub Scout den mother. In 1967, she decided to return to the workforce. The next thirteen years were spent at the Robinson Daily News, first as a proofreader before being trained to fill in for all other positions, including typesetting, layout, and paste-up, and she even worked as editor of the weekly newspaper, The Constitution.

Eventually, she decided to try something different, so she accepted the position of office clerk at Gallo's Red & White before being hired on at Victor Dana. Here, Mary worked in the mill department until she was laid off during a workforce reduction. The end of her career found her at the Hutsonville Crawford Press, Taylor Heating & Cooling, and finally, Ridgeview Care Center. At the nursing home, she considered it a privilege to serve the residents as the activity director. They were all the beneficiaries of Mary's deep-seated empathy and loving-kindness, an overflow of the Holy Spirit's work in her life.

On February 26, 1977, Mary accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior and the Lord of her life and served Him faithfully in whatever capacity He called her to. A student of the Word, she shared her Biblical knowledge at Sunday school and through corporate Bible study. She was also known to deliver hand-written scripture passages to whomever God would lay on her heart, blessing many in the process. Her profound love of scripture led her to join the Gideons International Auxiliary. A longtime attendee of the Robinwood Assembly of God, she played a vital role in its shoebox ministry, single-handedly packing 1,200 pencil packs for Operation Christmas Child every Christmas season over the last few years. Though we grieve our own loss, we find peace in the assurance that on Thursday, Mary was met with the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"

She married Glen Rodgers on December 20, 1988, and he preceded her in death on July 21, 2017. She was also preceded in death by her parents; her son, Michael Rodgers; her grandsons, Jeffrey Rodgers (in infancy) and Joshua W. Rodgers; her brother, Harold Knoblett; and her sisters-in-law, Patricia Knoblett and Etta Knoblett.

She is survived by her daughter & son-in-law, Kathy & Don Richart (Robinson, IL); her sons & daughters-in-law, Steven Rodgers & companion Virginia Jones (Olney, IL) and Gregory & Kelly Rodgers (Robinson, IL); her grandchildren, Aaron & Kelly Richart (Marion, IL), Andrew & Megan Richart (Raleigh, NC), Adam & Alyssa Richart (New Palestine, IN), Megan Jones (Robinson, IL), Aubrey Schifler (Robinson, IL), Jessica & Darrel Ault, Jr. (Flat Rock, IL), Stephanie Tucker (Flat Rock, IL), Jared & Kacy Rodgers (Robinson, IL), and Maranda & Ryan Ward (Madison, WI); by eleven great-grandchildren; as well as a nephew and four nieces.

A time of visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 7th, at the Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson. Funeral services will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home, with Pastor Rodney Burton officiating. For those unable to attend, a live stream of the service will be available on Goodwine Funeral Homes' Facebook page or at www.goodwinefuneralhomes.com/live-stream/live-stream .

Burial will be in the Oak Grove Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to either the "Robinwood Shoebox Ministry", or the "Gideons International", with envelopes available at the funeral home.