Marie I. Mercer

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Marie I. Mercer, 78, of Heritage Manor Nursing Home, Peru, formerly of Oglesby, died 11:06 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009, in the nursing home.

Services will be private at a later date. Cremation rites will be accorded. Ptak Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

She was born May 16, 1931, in Eldorado to Floyd and Martha (Postada) Holbrook. She married Conrad Mercer on March 12, 1953 in Harrisburg.

She worked as a nurse's aide at People's Hospital, now known as IVCH, and then worked at Peru Heritage Manor Nursing Home for over 20 years.

She is survived by one son, Richard (Leona) Mercer of La Salle; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; one sister, Betty Holbrook of Eldorado; and three brothers, Bobby (Gloria) Holbrook of Evansville, Ind., Donnie (Shirley) Holbrook of Eldorado and Ricky (Nora) Holbrook of Seatonville.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 2000; and two brothers.

Memorials may be directed to the American Stroke Association.