Peggy "Peg" Wesley

Peggy "Peg" Wesley, 84, of Flat Rock, IL, passed away in the comfort of her home on November 13, 2025. Born on July 30, 1941, in Palestine, IL, she grew up with a spark that never faded. She spent most of her childhood in Flat Rock, a little girl with dark braids and skin that tanned in an instant beneath the sun. Responsibility came early. Her mother set her at the ironing board, Peg perched on a footstool so she could reach. Even then, she liked things just so, every crease smoothed, every line sharp.

Her life turned a corner the moment Larry Wesley pulled back into town after his time in the Navy. He went home, said his hellos, and then drove uptown. There she was. Peg. He asked if she wanted to go to Bobe's for pizza. She said "yes". And then she said "yes" the next night, and the next, and the next, and the next. For two solid weeks, they drove to Vincennes, picked up Bobe's, and sat in his car eating pizza like it was their own little world. They married on July 10, 1965, and built a life that was steady and completely theirs. Early on, Peg worked at the nursing home in Flat Rock before becoming a homemaker and stay-at-home mom. When her kids were grown, she reentered the workforce, clocking in at factories, the grocery store in Flat Rock, and eventually Crawford County State Bank as a receptionist, where her warm voice and one-of-a-kind laugh were known by everyone who stepped through the door.

If you knew Peg, you knew this: she was spunky. She did not put up with anything from anybody. She didn't have to raise her voice. A look would do it. And if someone messed with her kids, she was a mama hen through and through. Her love showed up in everyday ways. She made the kids' clothes when they were young, even into high school. She quilted each of them a handmade blanket. She cooked from the heart with no measuring, just instinct and love. There was German chocolate cake made from scratch, homemade cheesecake, goulash, and her famous "Coney" that everyone devoured. The church always asked for her green beans, the kind with bacon grease that nobody pretended was healthy but warmed every heart.

She had style. Real style. Everything she wore matched, even her fingernail polish. She made sure Larry matched, too. She had a standing weekly hair appointment, and the car windows were not coming down because she was not letting her hair get messed up. Her makeup was always done, always right. She refreshed herself every evening before Larry got home, a little ritual that said, "You matter. This home matters. We matter." She carried that same sense of style into her home. She arranged her antiques just so, swapped out floral arrangements with every season, shifted furniture whenever the mood struck, and guarded her favorite chair, which nobody else sat in. Ever.

Though she loved keeping a home, few things brought her more joy than being out and about. She and Larry were devoted bleacher bums during all of their kids' school years. From 1970 through 1987, if there was a game, they were there, home or away. Even breast cancer couldn't stand in her way. After her mastectomy at Barnes, she was told she couldn't attend Lori's sports banquet. Peg, being Peg, went anyway. She was never going to sit on the sidelines of her children's lives.

It must be said that Peg never turned down a shopping trip. If Brad was going to Walmart, she grabbed her purse. She spent full days in Evansville with her friends, Nedra and Ginger, and she shopped every Christmas Eve, embracing the chaos like it was part of the celebration. Holidays, especially Christmas, were hers to host. She always had a themed tree, each year its own idea, whether antique ornaments, bright sunflowers, or graceful angels. And if you happened to leave her presents under that tree, Peg simply couldn't resist. She would unwrap them, take a good look, and wrap them again!

But she knew that the greatest gift she could have ever received was found in Jesus. Her faith was not quiet. It was steady, joyful, and ready at a moment's notice. Ask anyone at the Flat Rock Free Methodist Church. If the pastor called for a testimony, Peg always had something to say about what God was doing. And now, she rests in the living hope she proclaimed, where every promise she clung to has been made real and every joy made full.

Peg is survived by her husband of 60 years, Larry Wesley; by her daughters, Rhonda (Gregg) Cox and Lori (Stephany) Branson; by her son, Brad (Kim) Wesley; by her grandchildren, Jason (Lindi) Bonesteel, Justin Cox (Tatum Tonn), Tommie Wesley, and Stephanie (Jeff) Love; by her great-grandchildren, Swayzie, Jaylin, Keyton, Kayne, Brielle, Koby, Anna, Kenlee, Brynlee, Jeffery, and Samantha; by her siblings, James "Sonny" (Kim) Neely and Patricia (Harry) Wampler; as well as several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Richard & Hattie (Goff) McEntire, and by her sister, Patty (George) Wade.

A time of visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 19th at the Goodwine Funeral Home in Flat Rock. A service will immediately follow at 1:00 p.m. with Bro. Gene Beard officiating. Burial will be in the Jones Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Boy Scout Troop 901, with envelopes available at the funeral home.