Kelley Jo Davis Liljegren, 45, of Collinsville died late Thursday evening, March 2, 2017, after a 13-year battle with breast cancer. She was surrounded by her husband, Mike, and her children, Hanna, Luke and Faith.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, March 8, at St. John Evangelical UCC in Collinsville with the Rev. Katie Jo Bielke officiating. Burial was in St. John Cemetery in Collinsville.
Barry Wilson Funeral Home in Maryville was in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Liljegren was born on June 25, 1971, in Carlinville, the daughter of Dennie and Kathy Davis. She married Mike Liljegren on June 5, 1993, and he survives.
She graduated from Carlinville High School in 1989, where she played volleyball, basketball and ran track. Throughout her childhood and adult life, she loved and was loved by her many loyal and fun-loving friends.
Mrs. Liljegren graduated from Illinois College in 1993, where she played point guard on the basketball team, was homecoming queen, earned a degree in mathematics and computer science and married her computer science professor, Mike Liljegren.
After earning her MBA from Sangamon State University, she began her high school teaching career at Palatine High School in Palatine, where she was also an assistant coach for the girls basketball team. She loved and was loved by the many colleagues, students and friends from the Palatine community, as well as her friends at Edgebrook Covenant Church in Chicago.
In 2003, Mrs. Liljegren moved with her young family to Collinsville and began teaching and coaching basketball at Collinsville High School, where she could be closer to her parents and sisters. She started her battle with cancer in February of 2004.
She loved to coach her children in basketball, and encouraged them in their academic and sports activities. She loved and was loved by the many people in the Collinsville community, as well as her friends at St. John Evangelical UCC.
In addition to her husband, Mrs. Liljegren is survived by her three children, Hanna, Luke and Faith; her parents, Dennie and Kathy Davis of Carlinville; two sisters, Teresa Crum of Farmersville and Kerry Lorton of Hardin; and aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law.
She was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Clifford and Helen Kays, formerly of Arenzville; and her paternal grandparents, Harold and Bunnie Davis, formerly of Carlinville.
Memorials may be made to Kahok Strong, Inheritance of Hope and Jeffro’s Angels, and can be mailed to the funeral home.
