CHILLICOTHE - Mary C. Rudolphi, 77, of Chillicothe died at 9:25 a.m. Monday, Jan. 8, 2001, at Proctor Endowment Home in Peoria.

Born Sept. 2, 1923, in Olney to Charles and Caroline Disser Coan, she married Lowell ''Rudy'' Rudolphi on June 21, 1945, in Fort Lewis, Wash. He died July 3, 1999.

One brother also preceded her in death.

Surviving are two daughters, Carol Smith and Sharon (and Kurt) Hollandsworth, both of Chillicothe; two brothers, James Coan and William Coan, both of St. Louis; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

A member of American Legion Post 9, she was a Navy veteran, serving from 1944 to 1945 as a flight training instructor at the U.S. Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, Texas.  She earned a bachelor's degree from Eastern Illinois State Teacher's College in 1952 and a master's degree from Bradley University in 1972.  She taught for Illinois Valley Central school district for 17 years and was an administrator for the district for 18 years, serving as principal at both North School and Rome West School.  She was a member of the National Education Association, Illinois Women Administrators Association, Illinois Retired Teachers Association and Illinois Valley Central Education Association.

She also was a member of St. Edward Catholic Church in Chillicothe, where a funeral Mass was held with  Rev. Anthony Ego officiating. Cremation accorded after the services. Burial of ashes in Wendelin at a later date.

Peoria Journal Star, The (IL) ~ Wednesday, January 10, 2001