Margaret Mary Hickey

Margaret Mary Hickey, age 81, most recently a resident in Chicago, Illinois, passed away on June 6, 2024. She will be greatly missed by family and friends.

Born in Chicago on September 25, 1942 to Irish immigrant parents, Margaret was the couples' third child after two sons. Unfortunately, due to her mother's chronic illness, Margaret was sent away from her family from age 4 to 14 to San Antonio, Texas. Her aunt, Sister Mary Lourdes, a hospital administrator, arranged her education at the Ursuline Academy Boarding school. At age 14, Margaret moved in with her parents when they relocated to Kerrville, Texas, and she attended Tivy High School. She went on to graduate from the University of the Incarnate Word and Our Lady of the Lake University with a Masters of Library Science. After her parents passed away, she moved to Washington, D.C. and worked as the Head Librarian at the U.S. Small Business Administration for just over 30 years. Over the course of her career, countless small business owners and other patrons sent letters of appreciation for her services.

Margaret loved road trips. After driving by herself from San Antonio, Texas to Washington, D.C. to seek a career as a single woman, she ventured far and wide. She drove to Vermont for fall colors, traveled to Savannah by train, visited a Native American Reservation with Catholic Charities, spent many holidays in Swarthmore with her brother Bill and his family, and flew twice to St. Louis, Missouri to see brother Jimmy and his nine children-only twice because flying terrified her. Though she hated airplanes, she traveled to Ireland to reconnect with family, and thereby reconnecting the U.S. Hickeys with their Irish roots. She made several trips "home" and even gifted a trip to her brother Bill back to Ireland-she was generous with loved ones, and she connected deeply with her roots. Given the upheaval of her childhood, Margaret found solace and passion in her Irish family origins.

As a school girl, Margaret was reprimanded regularly for excessive talking. But her gift for gab delighted and entertained many-and gave her joy. Even in her late 70s, she enjoyed making strangers on an elevator or in a doctor's waiting room laugh. Margaret treasured her many friends and stayed in touch with long phone calls and frequent greeting cards. St. Patrick's Day was her favorite holiday of the year.

We remember family members who preceded her in death: her father James Joseph Hickey, her mother Catherine (Gannon) Hickey, her brother James Lambert Hickey and his wife, Patricia (Lipsmire) Hickey, her brother William Joseph Hickey, and her niece Julie (Hickey) Cummings, as well as her first cousins in Ireland: James and his wife, Philomena, Maureen, Tom, and Sister Peg.

Margaret is survived by her sister-in-law, Barbara Hickey and many nieces and nephews: James Hickey, John Hickey (M'Evie Mead), Liam Hickey (Karen Summers), Thomas Hickey (Yvonne Bacandreas), Mary Hickey (Grant Williams), Patrick Hickey (Susan Stern), Robert Hickey, and Ann Hickey, Patricia (Jean-Yves) diBartomoleo, and Bill Hickey (Karen Campo-Hickey). She is also survived by grand-nieces and nephews, and a few great grand-nieces and nephews living in the United States and Ireland.

A very special thank you to the staff at Chicago Methodist Senior Services Wesley Place and the hospice team at Unity Hospice. The care and attention paid to Margaret in her last years allowed her an end with dignity. The family is eternally grateful.

In lieu of flowers and to honor Margaret's generous spirit, please consider making a donation to the charity or cause of your choice. Margaret will be buried in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Kerrville, Texas, near her parents.

A Message to Irish Exiles for Easter by Thomas Hickey

***

A wish from the heart of Ireland,
Goes over the stormy sea,
In search of Irish exiles,
Where ever they may be

A wish and a prayer love laden
The joy of an Irish day,
May reach them by hill and valley,
In a strange land faraway.

God, prosper you Irish Exiles,
God keep you forever true,
To a land that is still your Mother,
Forever cares for you.

God guide you again to Ireland,
When her skies are no longer grey,
Her voice will welcome her children,
At Dawn on Easter Day.
***