Mary Ann Poehler, age 102, of Louisville, Illinois, passed away peacefully Sunday, October 11, 2026, at Stonebridge Memory Care in Mt. Vernon.

      She was born December 13, 1923, at home in rural Ingraham, the daughter of Norva C. and Anna (Colborn) Bryan. On August 12, 1945, she married Garland Walter Poehler, and they shared 69 years of marriage until his passing on January 21, 2015.

      After taking administrative classes, Mary Ann worked in the office at Chanute Field Air Base in Rantoul. Following her marriage to Garland, the couple lived in several places during his Air Force career, including Japan, where she developed a lasting appreciation for Japanese culture. A class she took there in the mid-1950s inspired her love of painting, particularly abstract art.

      Mary Ann and Garland eventually returned to Clay County to work the family farm, raising cattle, corn, and soybeans. A tremendous cook who learned her skills and recipes from her mother, she kept the farm workers well fed with large country lunches, a tradition she continued until she was 95 years old. Many of her family’s favorite memories center on the meals she prepared.

      Mary Ann brought creativity and enthusiasm to everything she pursued. An avid gardener, she belonged to the Clay City Garden Club. She was also known for the Christmas cards she made each year, first using wooden block prints and later silk-screen prints. As a founding member of the Clay County Genealogical Society Library, she helped preserve the history of the county’s families. She was also her own family’s historian, devoting many hours to research and traveling to Kentucky and Tennessee to learn more about her ancestry. Her faith was important to her, and she was an active member of the Clay City Fellowship Church.

      She is survived by her son: Tom (Dorothea) Poehler of Louisville; grandchildren: Alicia Ann (Chris) Salmons of Louisa, Kentucky, Kevin (Angie) Fisher of Peebles, Ohio, Tim (Alana) Fisher of Winchester, Ohio, and Hannah Poehler of Louisville; great-grandchildren: Anthony, Nick, Christopher (Summer), and Michael (Tiffany); great-great-grandchildren: Waylon, Elijah, Charlotte, Jack, Beau, and Layla; a daughter-in-law: Wilda Poehler of Highland; and several nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

      She was preceded in passing by her parents; husband; son: Bryan Poehler; daughter: Gloria Fisher; siblings: Alice Poehler, Carl Bryan, John Bryan, Jack Bryan, Robert “Bob” Bryan, and William “Bill” Bryan; and a son-in-law: John Fisher; bother-in-law: Richard Poehler; sisters-in-law: Charlotte Bryan, Virginia Bryan, Lavera Bryan, Jodie Bryan, and Erma Bryan; and special friend Helen Holoviak.

      A funeral ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at the Clay City Fellowship Church with Brad Henson officiating. Interment will follow in Ingraham Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 5 until 7 p.m. on Friday evening, October 16, at Frank & Bright Funeral Home. Memorial donations are suggested to the Clay City Fellowship Church or the Clay County Genealogical Society Library, and these will be accepted through the funeral home.  To share a condolence or memory, visit: www.frankandbright.com