Mary Ellen Muehling, 98, of Cissna Park, passed away on Oct. 24, 2026, at the Iroquois Resident Home in Watseka. She was born on March 28, 1928, in Ganeer Township near Momence in Kankakee County to Charles A. and Karlena O. (Klanska) Buck.
Mary Ellen married Richard L. Muehling on Jan. 28, 1950, near Watseka. He preceded her in death on Oct. 11, 2002. Besides her husband, she was also preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Francis and Carl. She is survived by a son, Gregory (Linda) Muehling of Cissna Park; a daughter, Karen (Don) Temple of Fulton; and seven grandchildren: Carrie (Scott) Vogel, Rachel (Daniel) Velasco, Rita (Tim) Wilcox, Laura Temple, Tonya (Aaron) Krueger, Doug (Abrigail) Temple, and Krista (Kyle) Wiebenga. She is also survived by 15 great-grandchildren: Caleb, Autumn and Cade Vogel; Jack and Elena-Angelica Velasco; Lillie, James and Benjamin Wilcox; Lydia Krueger; Katelyn, Alyssa, Connor and Hannah Temple; and Ella and Tyler Wiebenga.
Mary Ellen attended one-room schools in Kankakee County through eighth grade. She graduated from St. Anne High School in 1945 and from the American School of Beauty Culture in Chicago in 1947. She worked as a bookkeeper for Sawyer Biscuit Co. in Chicago and Rothway Hatchery in Watseka before marrying into the dairy and poultry farm at Muehling Meadows in Cissna Park. She helped her father begin an egg route in Kankakee in 1954, which was continued by her husband, Rich, for over 40 years. Rich and Mary Ellen were also members of the American Guernsey Association, participating in district and national meetings. In addition to working as a farm wife, she later was a secretary for Crow’s Hybrid Corn Co. in Milford in the 1990s and served as secretary at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Watseka in the 2000s. In the 2010s, she worked as a receptionist at the Cissna Park Dental Office for Dr. Gorman, and later Dr. Vallone.
Active in the community, Mary Ellen and Rich led the Cissna Park Go-Getters 4-H Club for over 20 years. She served as president of the Iroquois County Fair Board in the early 1960s and served six years on the State Extension Council Advisory Board. She played piano and organ at Union Church in Cissna Park and later at the Cissna Park United Methodist Church until she was past 90 years old. She enjoyed baking and was well-known for her sweet rolls and angel food cakes made from scratch. In her spare time over many years, "Grandma-Great" worked on a cross-stitch sampler keepsake for each of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held Thursday, Oct. 29, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Knapp Funeral Home in Cissna Park. Funeral services are planned for Friday, Oct. 30, at 11:00 a.m. at the Cissna Park United Methodist Church, with visitation one hour before.
Memorials may be made to Iroquois Memorial Hospice and Cissna Park United Methodist Church.
