Mary Lou Belmont, 92, of Wayne City, Illinois, passed away January 8th, 2025 at Nature’s Trail in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. She was born on January 28th, 1932, in Wayne City, Illinois, to Charles Franklin “Frank” and Lorene (Meyers) Lappin.

Mary Lou met her husband Bill in 1950, and they were married on July 25th, 1951. They bought their family home in Wayne City, Illinois in 1953 and she remained there her whole life. Bill and Mary Lou enjoyed 43 years of marriage until Bill passed away on November 14th, 1994. Mary Lou continued talking of her love for Bill right up to the time of her death. They had two children together, a daughter, Valerie (Belmont) Bigley, and a son, Ray Dean Belmont.

Mary Lou worked at the garment factory in Wayne City, Illinois from her junior year of high school in 1949 until its closing. She continued quilting from her home, keeping meticulous records of each quilt that she finished. She enjoyed sewing with the women from the Wayne City Baptist Church working on prayer shawls for the community. When she was no longer able to quilt, she found joy in embroidery work.

Mary Lou is survived by her daughter, Valerie (Belmont) Bigley and husband Allen Bigley of Ina; son, Ray Dean Belmont and wife (Pat) of Wayne City. She is survived by her four grandchildren; Drew (Ashley) Bigley of Coolidge, Az, Lacy (Kristoffer) Truitt of Greenville, IL, Kevin (Alex) Belmont of Wayne City, IL, and Mitch (Kristal) of Cisne, IL. She is also survived by eleven great-grandchildren; Lorena and Eliza of Coolidge, Az, Konan, Kalista, and Miles of Greenville, IL, Karter and Kellan of Wayne City, IL, and James, Raelynn, Lainey, and a baby girl on the way from Cisne, IL. She is survived by one sister-in-law, Cindy (Corey) Clendenen.

Mary Lou was preceded in death by; her father, Charles Franklin “Frank” Lappin, her mother, Lorene (Meyers) Lappin, her husband, Billy Ray Belmont, her brother, Donnie Lappin, and several brother and sister-in-laws.

Mary Lou loved her Savior, her family, and sewing. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, sister and seamstress who will be missed greatly by those who loved her.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, January 18th, 2025, from noon-2pm at the Archie Sanders Memorial Chapel in Thomason Cemetery in Wayne City. The funeral will follow immediately afterward. Brother Brad Ryan will be officiating.

Memorials may be made in Mary Lou’s honor to the Thomason Cemetery.

For more information or to send online condolences please visit www.johnstonfuneralhome.com