Memorial Bench for Margaret Munn DeKing, 1921-2024

Hello! I'm Margaret's youngest daughter, Denise, representing her family. We need your help in fulfilling Mom's wish to have a memorial bench placed in a local park or nature center. Margaret, or Muggs, as she was often called, enjoyed her flower gardens, and bird watching. She loved to meditate and have daily "walks and talks" with God and nature, whether in the backyard or along a trail. She'd often ask to have a picnic lunch near a lake or the Fox River, so she could observe all of nature's beauty at once! Her eyes would sparkle at the sight of the shimmering water, the wildflowers along the bank, and the birds that flew in and about the trees, their leaves blowing in gentle breezes above and around her. Mom asked that we place a bench, in just such a place. She hoped to create a spot where friends and family could rest, enjoy, and remember happy times.

Mom passed away on January 2, 2024, at the age of 102, having lived a life devoted to bringing smiles and happiness to everyone she encountered. She's finally holding the hand of her beloved husband, Gerald DeKing, who we lost in 1975.

Muggs and Jerry met at a roller skating rink, and they married in 1944, while Jerry was serving as a Marine Sgt. during WWII. Together, they rode across the United States, Jerry on his Harley and Muggs in the sidecar. They shared so many stories of the beautiful countryside they experienced while in the open air; sometimes they even slept in fields, under the stars.

Muggs and Jerry had seven children (four remain) and they were all raised with an appreciation of nature. Springtime always warranted a trip to Mastodon Island, to get ideas for garden beds (back in a time when the island was filled with floral displays). Summers were spent camping among the trees and streams, awaking to glorious sunrises, and ending the days with magnificent sunsets. As a family, we often visited botanical gardens and arboretums; and of course, our local Sunken Garden, at Phillips Park was a favorite place.

The location chosen for this memorial bench will be a place to sit and reflect, surrounded by those things in nature that brought Margaret and Gerald so much joy. The layered goal is to first place the bench and marker, and to eventually add a memorial tree. It was Muggs' sincere hope that the bench would become a place where all of her friends and family could sit and find peace. Please help to make her wish come true. Thank you, in advance. And to those who previously sent donations directly to us, we appreciate you!!

*Margaret Isabella Munn DeKing*