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Margaret “Peggy” Maierhofer, 81, of rural Seneca, passed away peacefully on Monday March 24, 2025, at the Ottawa Pavilion following a 20-year battle with Parkinson’s.

A visitation will take place from 2:00 – 5:00 PM at St. Patrick’s Church in Seneca on Sunday, March 30th with funeral services to be held at the same location on Monday, March 31st at 9:30 AM. Burial will follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Seneca. Seals-Campbell Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.

Peggy was born on April 5, 1943, to Edgar and Anne (Rinaudo) Kehoe, in Peru, Illinois. She grew up in Ottawa, Illinois, and relocated to Seneca in 1962.

She is survived by her husband of 62 years, James Maierhofer, sons: John ‘Les’ (Nadine) and Jeff (Jenna), both of Seneca, and son-in-law, Brad Riskedal of Leland. There was no hiding her pride for her grandchildren: Darren (Kendall) Riskedal of Johnson Creek, Wisconsin, Stephen Riskedal of Leland, Kaitie (Patrick) Monahan of Utica, Kassidy (Lane) Davis of Baker, Montana, and Levi and Calvin Maierhofer of Seneca. She recently earned the title of Great-Grandmother after the births of Owen and Edla Riskedal and Maggie Monahan.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, John Kehoe, a son, James, Jr., in infancy, and a daughter, Joyce Riskedal, in 2023.

Peggy was raised in rural Ottawa and was proud to be a Valedictorian of Ottawa High School in 1961. After attending the University of Illinois for one year, she married into the Maierhofer farm family and began a lifelong support for the farm, performing many years of bookkeeping for the operation.

She was also employed over the years at Milton Pope School, Ortiz Eye Associates, and as a self-employed genealogist. Peggy knew more about how people were connected in the Illinois Valley than anyone we know and took a lot of knowledge with her. However, she left behind a trove of information for future generations.

Peggy lived a life of service to others as she was a 4-H Leader for 20 years, a member of the “Seneca Fire Sirens” (the auxiliary group for the fire department), a Red Cross Volunteer, a member of the Seneca FFA Alumni, a leader in the Milton Pope Community Club, a member of the LaSalle County Farm Service Agency County Committee, and a decades-long election judge for Manlius Township.

Her greatest contribution to this area may have been to the history of LaSalle County as she was a proud member of the LaSalle County Genealogy Guild, serving as president. She was the leader of the county cemetery inventory project, dragging her children to many cemeteries over the years to help her decipher headstones.

She loved a good conversation with anyone, but not at 3:30 PM when Jeopardy! was on. She kept her mind sharp as she played the game, as well as completed crossword puzzles every day. We could see a glint in her eye and a slight smile as one of the last things she enjoyed was watching a man with Parkinson’s dominate the Jeopardy! board recently.

The family would like to thank the many healthcare professionals who helped Peggy through her journey, especially those at the Ottawa Pavilion, OSF Hospice, Morris and Ottawa Hospitals, and other doctors throughout the Illinois Valley.

Pallbearers will be Brad, Darren, Stephen Riskedal, Levi and Calvin Maierhofer, Patrick Monahan, and Lane Davis.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a gift to support the LaSalle County Genealogy Guild where a scholarship will be created in her honor, or to the Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers’ “Pedaling for Parkinson’s and PWR! Moves” (Parkinson Wellness Recovery) programs.

Seals-Campbell Funeral Home

1009 E. Bluff St., Marseilles, IL 61341 815-795-5151 www.sealscampbell.com

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