WASHINGTON... Mary J. Volk, 65, of Washington, passed away at 1:30 p.m., Friday, December 25, 2015 at the Eureka Apostolic Home. Mary was born on January 24, 1950 in Peoria to Virgil and Virginia (Berry) Volk. Among those surviving are her parents of Washington; three brothers, Chuck Volk of Bradenton, Florida, Don (Bobbi) Volk and Jerry (Judy) Volk, both of Washington, two nieces, Zoe and Libby and one nephew, Max. Mary had worked for the Joliet Public Schools for 34 years prior to her retirement in 2010. At retirement she had been the librarian for Gompers Junior High School. She was a graduate of Washington Community High School, earned her bachelors degree from Illinois State University in 1971 with a major in History and a minor in French. Mary went on to earn her Master's Degree in Library Science in 1976 from the University of Illinois. Mary was a member of the American Library Association ,the Association of School Librarians and the Illinois State Library Media Association. For many years Mary was a member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Crest Hill, prior to her moving back to Washington in 2010 when she rejoined St. Patrick's Catholic Church. A mass to celebrate Mary's life will be held on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Washington with Father Stephen Willard officiating. Cremation rites will be accorded following the mass with burial of cremains later at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, south of Washington. Visitation will be one hour prior to mass at the church. Mason-White Funeral Home is assisting the family in arrangements. Mary's request was that memorials for her may be directed to any local hospice. Online condolences to the family may be made at masonfuneralhomes.com