Maurine Dempsey

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Maurine Dempsey, age 96, of Venice, Fla., formerly of Salem, Ill., passed away on Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010 in Venice Regional Medical Center, Venice, Fla.

Maurine was born on Nov. 17, 1913 in Ewing, Ill., a daughter to Rev. R.E. and Dora (Beers) Knight. On Aug. 19, 1933, she married Urban Dempsey in Valier, Ill. and he preceded her in death, after 55 years of marriage, on Jan. 11, 1989. She obtained a masters degree in education and had worked in the Salem, Ill. school system, teaching at Salem Junior High School from 1955 - 1975 when she retired. She was the first person in the state of Illinois to earn a special reading certificate. She was a member of Grace Community Bible Church, Venice, Fla., a former member of Salem Baptist Church, Salem, Ill., a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Teachers Honor Society, and Kappa Delta Pi Education Society.

Survivors include her daughter, Susan Motte of Venice, Fla.; a son, Michael Dempsey; two brothers, Phillip Knight of Federal Way, Wash. and Eugene Knight of Peoria, Ill.; a sister, Joyce Showers of Godfrey, Ill.; two grandchildren, Stacey (Brian) Carmack of Venice, Fla. and Jeffrey (Debra) McNail of Harriman, Utah and one great-granddaughter, Bailey Carmack.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Urban; a brother, Robert Knight; and four sisters, Eva Turner, Hazel Sims, Ruby Ester Sims and Mary Catherine Giles.

Graveside services were held on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at Mueller Hill Cemetery, Pinckneyville, Ill.

Memorial donations may be made to the Grace Community Bible Church, P.O. Box 1637, Venice, FL 34284.

For more information or to sign an online guest register please visit www.pyattfuneralhome.com