Kelsey Howard

Kelsey Margaret Hilst of Peoria Heights passed away on Sunday, July 6, 2025, surrounded by her loving family and friends. She was born on January 29, 1990, in Peoria, Illinois, to Mike and Linda (Klingele) Hilst.

During her grade school years, her family expanded to include two more parents, two brothers, and two sisters after her parents remarried. She graduated from Richwoods High School in 2008 and Bradley University in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science degree. She married Craig Howard on May 2, 2015, in Peoria.

Kelsey is survived by her husband, Craig and one son, Callan Howard of Peoria, her mother and stepfather, Linda and Steve Fairbanks of East Peoria, her father and stepmother, Mike and Brenda Hilst of Port Orange, Florida, her mother-in-law, Lisa Howard of Peoria, stepbrothers, Garrett (Taylor) Brown of Champaign and Evan Fairbanks of Peoria Heights, her stepsisters, Rebekah (Josh) Vasquez of Athens, and Tori (Pete) Beaugard of Bloomington, brother-in-law Kyle (Kendall) Howard, and sister-in-law Stephanie Howard, grandparents, Martha Richards of Kewanee, Janice Klingele of Quincy, and Kenneth Hilst of Green Valley. Also surviving are many aunts, uncles, and cousins in her extended family, that are grieving the loss of Kelsey. She was preceded in death by her stepsister, Laura Brown, her grandfather, Bruce Klingele, and her grandmother, Nancy Hilst.

Kelsey started her career at Caterpillar Inc. in 2014 as an Organizational Communications Specialist. She progressed in a series of roles before leaving the company in 2021. She worked a number of positions in recent years as she sought the best fit for her, while focusing on her most important role: being a mom to her son, Callan. Most recently, she found a great fit at the Picket Fence Foundation in Chillicothe, Ill. She was employed as an Education Support Provider, working with junior associates to develop their love of plants and hone their gardening skills. She loved her job.

Cremation services have been accorded. A memorial service and celebration of Kelsey's life will take place on July 19 at 2:00 pm at the Universalist Unitarian Church of Peoria, 3000 W. Richwoods Blvd., Peoria. Memorials may be made to The Picket Fence Foundation https://www.picketfencefoundation.org/donate or to the 529 Plan established for Callan's education.