Catherine "Katie" Seyller

Catherine Seyller passed away peacefully on May 16th, 2026; she was 100 years, 9 months and 18 days old. Born July 29, 1925, in Quincy, Illinois, to John Wesley and Iona Lou (Purvis) Roland; she was the 5th of 11 children. Katie, as she was known to many, lived in Quincy, attended public schools and graduated early at 15. She was a life-long loyal and fervent “Blue Devil.” She received a B.S. in English from MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois, in 1944. Back in Quincy, she worked writing and producing for the first CBS and NBC television stations and the first FM radio channel there. She married Billy Wayne Edmonson in Quincy in 1946 and resided there with their young family until 1952. For the next 10 years, the family moved throughout Illinois in support of Bill’s career. Ever bright and industrious, at each location, Katie found ways to supplement the family income, often working multiple jobs at once. She learned to keep books, which she could do at home while raising her 4 children, maintaining a clean house and preparing delicious, nutritious meals. Bill died tragically in an automobile accident in 1962. Acceding to her children’s wishes, the family remained in Hampshire, Illinois, where she resided until 2012. She was hired by the Milk Foundation in Chicago (later to become the Dairy Nutrition Council) as a nutrition consultant, where for 25 years she wrote and developed materials for the dairy industry. There, she coined the phrase, “You are what you eat,” and provided outreach to schools and agricultural organizations. She continued to work multiple jobs that allowed her to still focus on her family, and for 14 years, she sold advertising and wrote articles for the Hampshire Register. She also served as a Notary Public and prepared taxes. As a “hobby,” she used Bill’s life insurance benefit to invest in the stock market, realizing profits that allowed her to put all her children through college and create a comfortable future for her golden years. In 1964, she met and married a second “love of her life,” Ralph Seyller. They shared many interests – a passion for all sports (local and national), involvement in the Democratic party, and devotion to their shared family. It was no surprise that when they retired, they focused on ways they could contribute to their community. They developed programs for the fledgling Hampshire Park District which included the day care and preschool program, Little People Playtime that thrives to this day. They also added the sanctioned, qualifying 5K and 10K run – The Coon Creek Classic. In addition, she enabled the nearby Elgin, Illinois, YMCA to provide a water aerobics program by training and certifying herself as a qualified instructor and recruiting seniors to join it. Catherine was a member of the United Methodist Church and held various positions on the board. She was on scholarship committees, sang in her church and community choir, supported the food pantry, and belonged to the Hampshire Woman’s Club, the Eastern Star. She was an active member of the American Legion Auxiliary and served over 50 years as an election judge. Catherine spent several years caring for Ralph prior to his death in 2007. In 2012, she moved to Charter House in Rochester, MN, where she continued volunteering in new, varied capacities. Throughout her nineties, she maintained her commitment to staying fit, typically walking a mile or more each day. She was also widely known for her beautifully handcrafted crocheted angels which she passed out and mailed by the 100s to friends, family and those she felt needed encouragement. Catherine is survived by her four children: Sarajane (Rodney) Myers of Bloomington, MN; David (Jodi) Edmonson of Rochester, MN; Donald (Maile) Edmonson of Marengo, IL; and Susan (Dale) Seyller of Caledonia IL. She is also survived by 8 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. A Memorial visitation will be held on Saturday, July 25th, at Fredrick Funeral Home, 284 Park Street in Hampshire from 10:00 am until the 11:00 am service with Pastor Kyu. Catherine made arrangements that upon her death, her body would be donated to Mayo Clinic, saying, “Maybe it could help somebody.” She spent much of her life in service of others. If you wish to make a donation in her memory, please consider a humanitarian organization of your choice. could help

Catherine "Katie" Seyller

July 19, 1925 - May 16, 2026