Mrs. Mary Gladys (Burnett) Peelman, age 91, of Freeburg, Illinois, formerly of Vevay, Indiana, entered this life on October 2, 1931 in Henry County, Kentucky. She was the daughter of the late, Marshall J. and Myrtle (Stivers) Burnett. She was raised in Switzerland County and was a 1948 graduate of Vevay High School. She achieved her dream of becoming a teacher and received her Professional Degree in education from Indiana University in 1969. Mary Gladys was a former teacher in 1968 at Shaw Elementary and later for Ryker’s Ridge Elementary from 1969-1996, where she taught first grade. She continued working for three years helping children learn to read as a Reading Recovery Interventionist. She was blessed with two daughters from her first marriage to William Elder in Rising Sun, Indiana. Mary Gladys was later united in marriage on April 12, 1968 to Amie J. Peelman, Jr. at the Switzerland Baptist Church in Vevay, Indiana. The couple shared nearly 55 years of marriage together until her passing. Mary Gladys was a medical technician for the first ambulance service in Switzerland County. She operated Ma Burnett’s Restaurant for seven years. Mary Gladys also worked at the US Shoe Factory in Vevay, Indiana for 10 years. Mary Gladys and Amie were also tobacco farmers and operated a boarding house in an 1840’s home directly across from the Vevay Courthouse. Mary Gladys and Amie then resided a block away in a two story brick 1860’s era house until they could no longer live alone. At that time they moved to Freeburg, Illinois to live with Mary Gladys daughter. Mary Gladys was a member of Delta Kappa and Gamma Sorority and the Retired Teachers Association. She was also a member of the Switzerland Baptist Church. Mary Gladys enjoyed gardening, reading, volunteer tutoring and working with the Hospice of Jennings County. Mary Gladys developed long lasting relationships with many of her students and their parents and many of her teaching associates, administrators, and school staff. She was highly respected by all. In retirement, Mary Gladys often traveled domestically and abroad in the company of her daughter Marilyn and occasionally by her daughter Deborah. She was instrumental in teaching her grandchildren to be good readers which helped them excel in adulthood. Mary Gladys passed away at 6:20 p.m., Monday, March 6, 2023, at the Freeburg Care Center in Freeburg, Illinois.
Mary Gladys will be lovingly remembered by her husband, Amie J. Peelman, Jr. of Freeburg, IL; her daughters, Marilyn Anne (Elder) Iverson and her husband, Jim of Freeburg, IL and Deborah Kay (Elder) Stone and her husband, Kenneth of Williamstown, KY; her step-daughter, Peggy Johnson and her husband, Lowell of Greenwood, IN; her grandchildren, Kelly (Stone) McClellan of Georgetown, KY, Joshua Stone and his wife, Virginia of Canton, MI and Jacob Stone and his wife, Allison of Lexington, KY; her step-grandchildren, April Mahoney and her husband, Brian, Stacey Penick and her husband, Trevis, Toni (Banker) Hiers and Deanna (Banker) King and her husband, Jeff; her great-grandchildren, Samuel Stone, Nick Stone, Madeline Stone, Alivia Stone, Caleb McClellan, Kiera McClellan, Abigail Stone and Benjamin Stone; her step-great-grandchildren, Meagan Kilborn and her husband, Zack, Brad Wilson and his wife, Maeghan, Colton Penick, Stephanie Mahoney and Keith Mahoney; her step-great-great-grandchildren, Masen and Zaiden Kilborn, Zoe Wilson, Mia Wilson and Braedon, Braelon and Addison King and her several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her father, Marshall J. Burnett, died April 13, 1972; her mother, Myrtle (Stivers) Burnett, died December 15, 1976; her step-daughter, Linda D. “Winnie” Wilson, died April 17, 2022; her sisters, Alleene Flood, died April 16, 1993, Norma Jean Knox, died August 16, 1993 and Alma Alice Nally, died May 5, 2021; her brothers, Raymond J. Burnett, died April 7, 1995 and Albert Earl Burnett and her uncle, Othar Burnett.
Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Saturday, March 18, 2023, at the Haskell & Morrison Funeral Home, 208 Ferry Street, Vevay, Indiana 47043.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, March 18, 2023, at the Haskell & Morrison Funeral Home, 208 Ferry Street, Vevay, Indiana 47043.
Interment will follow in the Vevay Cemetery, Vevay, Indiana.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Delta Kappa and Gamma Sorority, Keeping Pace Cancer Fund, Diabetes Association or American Heart Association. Cards are available at the funeral home or online at www.haskellandmorrison.com