Mary Lou Balestri

Obituary

Mary Lou (Sammons) Balestri, 84, of St. Louis, MO, died on Monday, January 25, 2021 at Dougherty Ferry Assisted Living & Memory Care in St. Louis MO.

There will be a private service on Saturday, January 30, 2021.  Rev. Dr. Ron McNeill will officiate.  Burial will be in Granville Cemetery, Granville.

Dysart – Cofoid Funeral Chapel will be assisting the family with the arrangements.

She was born July 23, 1936 in Streator, IL to John and Frances (Snyder) Sammons. She married Richard Balestri August 18, 1957 in Granville.

Mary earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education and her master's degree in reading from the University of Illinois. She taught school (grades 1^st -3^rd) for several years in Putnam County and Spring Valley.

She was a member of the United Church of Christ in Granville and later a member of the Princeton Bible Church where she served as a volunteer tutor for the school for several years. She attended St Paul's Lutheran Church in St Louis.

She helped establish the Lads and Lassies preschool in Granville and was a member of the PC Historical Society. She collected antique sad irons and was a longtime member of the Pressing Iron and Trivet Collectors of America club.

Surviving are two daughters, Sami Balestri of Englewood CO, and Rae (Gary) Winkler of St. Louis, and a granddaughter.

She was preceded in death by her husband and her parents.

Memorials may be made to any charity.

Online condolences may be made to her family at www.dcfunerals.com

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