Mary Kathryn Grady Dalton, 90, died Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Jacksonville, Illinois. She was born December 19, 1934, at Passavant Hospital on East State Street to Lloyd Junior and Emma Mary Swain Grady.

Mary attended the Berea Community's grade school and graduated from Franklin High School in 1952. She then graduated from Holy Cross Central School of Nursing in South Bend, Indiana in 1955. Her training included clinicals in South Bend and Indianapolis, Indiana; Jacksonville, Illinois; and Louisville, Kentucky. Her career included being a registered nurse with the Morgan County Health Department and at Meline's Nursing Home, and a teacher at Passavant School of Nursing. She spent 14 years at the Illinois School for the Deaf, the last seven as Nursing Supervisor. She retired from there in 1989. Mary traveled to 50 states and 56 U.S. territories and foreign countries. She was very active for many years at Centenary United Methodist Church.

She married Robert Wayne Dalton at Berea Christian Church on May 6, 1956. Mary is survived by her husband; daughters Kathryn (Burnell) Hackman of St. Louis, Missouri, and Brenda Lane of Jacksonville; grandchildren Biff Hackman of St. Louis, Mary Lane of Maryville, Tennessee, and Brittany Lane of Jacksonville; and two nephews and two nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Kenneth Eugene "Gene" Grady.

Visitation will be at Centenary United Methodist Church from 10-11:00 A.M., Monday June 2, 2025, where services will follow at 11:00 A.M. Burial will be at Diamond Grove Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Centenary UMC. The Buchanan & Cody Funeral Home in Jacksonville is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be left at buchanancody.com.