Mary Baccus

MARY BACCUS February 1, 1922 - June 4, 2009 Mrs. Mary Baccus, 87, of Herrin, Illinois, died on Thursday, June 4, 2009, at her home in Herrin, Illinois. She was born on Wednesday, February 1, 1922, in Herrin, Illinois, to Mark and Emma (Robertson) Sherrard. They preceded her in death. Mary was the youngest living sibling of ten children. Mary attended Herrin High School and graduated in 1940. She worked at SIU as Banquet Manager at the Student Center for 15 years. Mary was a member of the Sphinx Club. She was registered in "Who's Who In Colleges and on the Steering Committee for the Herrin Hospital Auxiliary for the Gift Garden & Shop. Mary was manager of the gift shop and donated over 24,000 hours of her time to volunteer work at the Gift Garden. Mary loved to play golf and was a member of the West Frankfort Country Club. She belonged to the Ladies Golf Associatio for 30 years. Mary also worked for the Americgan Cancer Society for many years as the Public Education Chairman. Mary wrote and published two of her own cookbooks. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Herrin, Illinois. She married Kenneth Mills and had one daughter, Janice Mills Colombo. She survives. Then in 1963, she married Elmer Baccus. He passed away in 2000. Other survivors include her Grandchildren, Mary Ruth Jackson, Jensen Beach, Florida, Stephen Colombo and his Fiancee' Linda Taylor, and Steve and Kay Ann Ballance of Carlyle, Illinois. There are also four Great Grand-Children; Lauren, Alex, Tyler and Abigayle. Memorial services will be held Tuesday, at, June 9, 2009, 1:00 p.m. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. also on Tuesday. Memorial donations can be made to Herrin Hospital Auxiliary or the the Community Chapel Church, P. O. Box 7, Marion, Illinois, 62959. Memorials can also be made to Donnie Colson Ministries. Envelopes will be provided by the funeral home. Burial will be in the Herrin City Cemetery following the services. Van Vatta Home in Herrin is in charge of arrangements.