Mary Ellen West

Mary Ellen West, 82, of Washington, passed on November 20, 2025 at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, IL.  She was born to Lorenz and Lorna (Voler) Brandt in Waverly, IA on October 8, 1943. 

Mary volunteered her time over the years for many different organizations. In her younger years, she especially loved to travel. She cherished sitting on her deck, listening to the river's waves along the shore and soaking in the beautiful sunsets. She enjoyed long phone calls with friends and family, as well as dinner outings and reunions with her Ozark friends. Many times, you could find her with a good book in hand, with Nora Roberts and Barbara Taylor Bradford among her favorite authors. Mary made friends everywhere she went and never truly met a stranger. Above all, Mary loved her grandchildren the most.

Mary is survived by her two children, Jason (Angie) West of Eagle Lake, TX and Amber (Mike) Hooste of Washington, IL; seven grandchildren, Ryan (Diana) Hall of Austin, TX, Megan (Stephanie) Dockery of Austin, TX, Hannah (Dillon) Dees of New Braunfels, TX, Matthew Poling of Omaha, NE, Addison and Max Hooste of Washington, IL, and James "Brandt" West of Eagle Lake, TX; six great-grandchildren; brother, Darrel (Marian) Brandt of Cedar Falls, IA; sister, Barbara John of Windsor Heights, IA; and four nieces and a nephew, Jocelyn Moeller and family of Cedar Falls, IA, John Kuethe of Chicago, IL, Rachel (Scott) West-Kramer and family of Washington, IL, Gretchen (John) McDonald of Peoria, IL, and Megan West and family of Washington, IL. She also leaves behind many loved ones among both friends and family. Mary was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Donna Kuethe.

Mary wished for her ashes to be scattered in two places she held dearest; on the Iowa farmland where her life began, and along the Illinois River, where she spent many, many happy years.