Mary Louise Goggin died August 2, 2026 at Greenville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center surrounded by family and friends.

Mary Lou was born to Frank and Vivian Penn in St. Louis, Missouri, on February 21, 1937.  A lifelong Catholic and product of the St Louis Catholic education system, she attended and excelled at Catholic schools through high school and nursing school.  She loved sports, especially basketball, and was one of the first female referees in the St Louis high school basketball league, a notable achievement at the time.  After high school, she earned her nursing certificate from St. John’s School of Nursing.  She then worked as a nurse for the St. Louis Meat Packers Union when she met her husband, James Goggin.  They married in 1959 and began raising a family.

In 1964, Mary Lou, James and sons, Jeff and Matt, moved to Greenville to start a life of private medical practice.  Mary raised a total of five boys, served in numerous community organizations, and obtained a bachelor’s degree from Greenville College.   She was active at St. Lawrence Church and proudly served as the president of Kingsbury Park District.  During that period, she founded the community soccer program which continues to this day. 

While raising her children, she served part-time in the family medical clinic, but once the children were grown, she started a career in public health for the Bond County Health Department.  She soon took interest and pleasure leading the Women Infants and Children program. 

Once retired, she enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and her many friends and being active at St. Lawrence Church.  She was a 60-year member of the Shakespeare Club, a member of Ladies’ Aid, and a faithful attendee of a weekly bible study.  She remembered fondly several great trips she took during retirement, including those to Hawaii, Ireland, England and Rome. At the Vatican, she attended mass by Pope John Paul II.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years James, son Daniel, parents Frank and Vivian, and brother Patrick.  She is survived by sons Jeffrey of Greenville, Matthew (Grace) of St. Paul, MN, Jamie (Laura) of Edwardsville, and Andrew (Stephanie) of Greenville, and grandchildren Patrick (Keziah) of Minneapolis, Benjamin (Chris) of New York City, Peter of St. Paul, MN, Dominic (Kristi) of Mt. Olive, Moriah (Ben) Sparlin of Troy, Samuel (Kelly) of Bethalto, Ian of Lake Wylie, SC, and Natalie and Zachary of Greenville, plus great-grandchildren Rosaline of Mt. Olive, and Callum of Troy.

She will be interred next to her husband and son, Daniel, at St. Lawrence Cemetery in Greenville.

Funeral Mass for Mary Lou will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, August 22, 2026, at the St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Greenville.  A time to remember Mary Lou will be held following services in the Posh Center.  Memorials may be made to the church or Bond County Hospice.

Donnell – Wiegand Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.