Margaret "Peggy" (Owens) Brown Zobrist

August 9, 1949 - September 28, 2026

A giant hug from one of her grandchildren. An Illini victory. A stylish outfit put together just right. A niece or nephew to cheer for. A family finding the right home.

These were some of the things that lit up Margaret Louise "Peggy" (Owens) Brown Zobrist. She built a full and accomplished life, but the people in it always mattered most.

Peggy died on September 28, 2026, at Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness Care in Joliet, IL. She was 77 and lived in Shorewood, IL after decades in Washington, IL, a community she loved.

Born in Peoria, IL on August 9, 1949, to H. James and Shirley (Sefried) Owens, Peggy was the oldest of seven children. Affectionately known as "Perfect Peggy," she cherished being a big sister and was a devoted aunt to 38 nieces and nephews.

She met Rex E. Brown at Manual High School in Peoria. They married on June 27, 1970 and had daughters Jill and Lynn. When Rex died in 1975, Peggy was just 26 with two young daughters. She persevered through that loss and continued building a life for her family.

She married Larry G. Zobrist on January 4, 1980, and they welcomed Laura and Jonathan. Peggy and Larry shared nearly 38 years of marriage, raising their family, traveling together and cheering on the Cubs, before his death on October 27, 2017.

Peggy was the first in her family to earn a college degree and later completed a master's degree in Library Science at Illinois State University while pregnant with her third child. As a teacher and school librarian, primarily at Germantown Hills Elementary School, she encouraged children to learn, work hard and reach their potential. She then spent more than 20 years at Jim Maloof Realty in Washington, regularly ranking among the top brokers and helping families find the right home.

All four of her children attended the University of Illinois, making her an enthusiastic Illini fan. Watching her daughter Laura play softball for Illinois was a particular joy.

Peggy was preceded in death by her parents, H. James and Shirley Owens, and both of her husbands, Rex E. Brown and Larry G. Zobrist. She leaves four children: Jill (Patrick) Kinney of South Pasadena, California; Lynn (Todd) Price of Centennial, Colorado; Laura (Scott) Moss of Shorewood, Illinois; and Jonathan (Maria Liang) Zobrist of Oak Park, Illinois.

She also leaves eight grandchildren: Aidan and Maeve Kinney, Ellie and Gavin Price, Camden and Clara Moss, and Owen and Margot Zobrist; and six siblings: Colleen (Don) Romsa, Pat (Jeanie) Owens, Mary (Kent) Johnson, Leo (Kathy Rashford) Owens, Nancy (Bill Cashdollar) Owens, and Mike (Linda) Owens.

Peggy's family is grateful to the team at Lightways Hospice for the thoughtful, compassionate care they provided during her final days.

Thursday, October 8, 2026

Visitation, 5-7 p.m. Mason-White Funeral Home, Washington, IL

Friday, October 9, 2026

10-10:45 a.m. visitation, followed by 11 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial

St. Patrick Catholic Church, Washington, IL

Burial at Resurrection Cemetery in Peoria will be private for family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Women's Alzheimer's Movement at Cleveland Clinic (https://donate.thewomensalzheimersmovement.org/campaign/654374/donate).

To share a memory or send a condolence to her family, visit www.masonfuneralhomes.com.