Margaret (Peg) Kessinger, 98, of Walshville, died peacefully on Aug. 2, 2024, at her home, with her daughter by her side.
Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 6 at Perfetti-Assalley Funeral Home, located at 201 S. Main St. in Sorento. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 7, at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Sunnyside Cemetery.
Mrs. Kessinger was born in Hazelton, ND, on Oct. 24, 1925, to Wilbur Hewitt Nelson and Sylvia (Loux) Nelson Gilbert. She was raised by her mother and stepdad A.P. (Putt) Gilbert. She married Harold Green, and they later divorced. She then married Joe Kessinger on July 19, 1953, by Mr. Kessinger’s grandfather and justice of the peace at the home of his sister. He preceded her in death on Oct. 16, 2009.
The couple farmed around Hillsboro, Walshville and surrounding areas, including the County Farm, which was once the County Poor Farm where the prison now sits.
After moving from Montana to Illinois in 1938, she attended the Irving country school, Sunnyside, the three-year high school in Irving and graduated with the Hillsboro High School class of 1944. After graduation, she received her emergency teaching certificate during WWII and taught two years at Root school, which covered parts of Walshville, Panama and Sorento, as well as teaching one year at Pleasant Hill school, located between Irving and Witt.
Mrs. Kessinger taught herself how to play the piano by ear. In the early 1960s she began playing for dances in an old country school house known as The Dragon’s Nest near Hillsboro. Later, she entertained at a number of nursing homes around the county. For several years she played the piano for the Litchfield Kitchen Band and was the musician for the VFW 12th District. In the early 1980s she formed the popular country band Rural Rhythm. After playing for 20 years with them, she decided to retire, while still playing twice a month at nursing homes in Litchfield and Hillsboro for many more years.
She held offices in the ATA, HEA, OES, Porkettes and American Legion and was also the president of the Litchfield Senior Citizens Club. She was selected as the one and only Montgomery County Senior Queen and to the Old Settlers Honor Society. She also served 23 years as an election judge. She was a member of the Christian Church of Litchfield.
Mrs. Kessinger had 11 half siblings that she found out about later in life, most of whom preceded her in death.
She is survived by her daughter, DeeDee (Kessinger) Seabaugh of Walshville; son, Danny Kessinger of Maryville; grandchildren, Michelle (John) Trull, Joey (Emily) Seabaugh, David Seabaugh, Erin (Tom) Sullivan, David (Lauren) Kessinger and Daniel ‘DJ’ Kessinger; great-grandchildren, Nolan Seabaugh and Charlie Sullivan; sister, Faye Keitel; many nieces and nephews; and son-in-law, Mike Leverone.
In addition to her husband, Mrs. Kessinger was preceded in death by her son, David Kessinger; daughters, Sandy (Green) Leverone; infant daughter, Judy Green; and sisters, Geneva Gardner and Gail Watkins.
Memorial contributions can be gifted at the visitation and funeral or mailed to Sunny Side Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 267, Sorento IL 62086 or Shoal Creek Fire Protection District-Station 1, 101 N. Main St., Sorento, IL 62086.
Condolences may be left at www.assalleyfuneralhomes.com.
