Della Elizabeth Pontious (91) of St. Peter, Illinois

Della Elizabeth Pontious, age 91, of St. Peter, Illinois passed away peacefully atDella Elizabeth Pontious, age 91, of St. Peter, Illinois passed away peacefully at3:47 a.m. on Friday, September 3, 2021 at Lutheran Care Center in Altamont,Illinois.

Graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, September 6, 2021 atOld Loogootee Cemetery in rural St. Peter, Illinois with Jim Zeigler officiating.Memorials may go to the Macedonia Christian Church, Old Loogootee Cemetery,Fayette County 4-H, Effingham County 4-H or the donor’s choice. Onlinecondolences may be expressed at www.pagelfuneralhome.comDue to Covid-19 concerns, please wear a mask and follow social distancingguidelines.

Della was born on January 14, 1930 in Bible Grove, Illinois, the daughter ofBurnie and Lillie L. (Specht) Brooks. She was a retired schoolteacher, with aBachelor’s Degree in Education; she earned a Home Economics Major and EnglishMinor from Southern Illinois, Carbondale in 1952 and Master’s Degree ofEducation from Eastern Illinois University in 1974. She taught high school HomeEconomics in Farina, Brownstown, and Mulberry Grove, and spent many years asa third-grade teacher in St. Elmo, Illinois. Her career spanned from 1954 through1994, teaching for 40 years.

Della married Myron D. Pontious on July 27, 1952 in rural Bible Grove andcelebrated 61 years of marriage. In addition to being a wife, a mother, and ateacher, she actively helped with the operation of the farm for many years. Shewas a member of the Macedonia Christian Church, a former Sunday Schoolteacher, a former 4-H leader, the Fayette County Ladies Home Bureau, and amember of the St. Peter American Legion Ladies Auxiliary. She had manyhobbies and interests. She loved to play the piano and organ at church. Forpleasure, she camped and rode horses over many Southern Illinois trails, andexpressed her artistic talents through oil painting and entering some canvases inregional art exhibitions. Della loved to travel, visiting all 50 states in NorthAmerica, the Caribbean, and European countries.

Della is survived by her one son, Brent Pontious (wife Deborah) of rural St. Peter,Illinois; two daughters, Mitzi Schwertfeger of Plymouth, Wisconsin, MichelePerkins (husband Keith) of Effingham, Illinois; sister-in-law, Joyce Brooks ofBible Grove, Illinois; six grandchildren, Alex Pontious (wife Stacy) of Columbia,Illinois, Adam Pontious (wife Julie) of Franksville, Wisconsin, AlexandriaPontious of St. Peter, Illinois, Josh Perkins (wife Emily) of Effingham, Illinois,
Kimberly Perkins of Effingham, Illinois, Lee Schwab of Des Moines, Iowa; andfour great-grandchildren, Aiden Pontious, Owen Pontious, Madison Pontious andDawson Perkins.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Myron Pontious; brothers,James Brooks and Jeff Brooks; and son-in-law, Carl Schwertfeger.