Mary Alice McCloskey of Edinburg, IL passed away at 2:03 p.m.on October 13, 2013 at St. John's Hospital in Springfield, IL. She was born the daughter of Erni Jeremiah and  Nita (Henshaw) Knowlton in Birmingham, Alabama. She married Mervin A. McCloskey and he later preceded her in death. Mrs. McCloskey graduated from Milligan College in Milligan, TN. During WW II she served as a volunteer helping wounded veterans at a large Memphis hospital. Mary Alice also produced and directed a theatrical performance presented in Edinburg called "The Womanless Wedding & Beauty Pageant." She spearheaded a fund raising drive to purchase uniforms for the Edinburg High School band and also started the first Cub Scout troop. Along with being parade marshall for Edinburg's first Labor Day Parade (i.e., the (organizer of it), she also enjoyed hosting Halloween parties open to the public for over a decade.  Mrs. McCloskey  is survived by her sons: Lon W. McCloskey and Kenton R. McCloskey. Other than her husband, she was also preceded in death by her mother: Nita K. Rutledge and her sister: Ruth Erni Knowlton. Visitation will be held on October 18, 2013 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. in Sutton Memorial Home in Taylorville. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, October 19, 2013 at 2:00 p.m.in Sutton Memorial Home. Burial will take place in Grove City Cemetery Grove City, IL with Rev. Dick Wamsley officiating.  Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN or Taylorville Christian Church.