Margaret McEnroe Walker

1950 - 2025

Margaret McEnroe Walker

October 7, 1950 - February 13, 2025

Margaret (Maggie) Walker was an accomplished woman who left everyone she met wanting to spend more time with her, as she was creative, smart, and loving to all who knew her.

Born October 7, 1950 in Aurora, Illinois, she was the fourth of the five children of Dorothy and Edwin McEnroe. A graduate of Holy Angels Catholic School and Rosary High School in Aurora, she earned a B.A. in journalism from Southern Illinois University after transferring from Northern Illinois University. During the summers she worked as a lifeguard at the Westwind Swimming Club in Aurora. After college, Maggie worked as a reporter for the local newspaper in Elmira, New York and later as a reporter and feature writer for the Aurora Beacon News and the Naperville Sun. Eventually she yielded to the pull of becoming a Realtor, like so many others in her family. Working for CB Thorsen Realtors and then for RE/MAX, she had an extremely successful real estate career. But in her zeal for continuing to learn and do more, she enrolled at the Loyola School of Law in Chicago where she earned her law degree.

In 1975, while living in Four Lakes Village in Lisle, Illinois, she saw a note in the lobby offering free tomato plants. Interested, she knocked on Roderick (Rod) Walker's apartment door and inquired about obtaining some plants. Before she left, she had a date with him for the next weekend. In August, 1976 they married and spent 48 wonderful years together. Adventures abounded, starting with her eagerly accepting the notion of honeymooning at a fly-in fishing camp in Ontario that had never hosted newlyweds before. They were treated like royalty, caught lots of fish and were hooked on Canadian vacations. Two-week long wilderness canoe trips followed, along with a ten-week driving trip to Alaska and back.

After years of trying to get pregnant, they adopted their son Ben through the Cradle in Evanston. In early 1985 she finished law school and passed the bar exam, all while caring for nine-month-old Ben and preparing to move (for Rod's work) to Rome, Italy in March of 1985. Living in Rome was magical, as Maggie soon discovered she was pregnant. Italy was fabulous even without being able to drink the wine. But the pregnancy caused the sojourn in Italy to be cut short.

Alexander was born in December and almost four years later daughter Hilary arrived. Maggie never practiced law, but did use her acquired knowledge and skills to good effect raising three lively children.

The growth in the family caused Maggie and Rod to move from their first home in Warrenville to St. Charles, Illinois. As the children grew, Maggie was ever present at their schools, organizing events, fund raising and supporting the teachers and staff. She was an active member of garden clubs in both Illinois and in Virginia. Everyone she met enjoyed her warmth, humor, positive outlook and willingness to jump in and make good things happen.

Maggie loved to travel and went with Rod to Turkey, Africa, Ireland, Machu Picchu, Taiwan, the Galapagos, Italy, Mexico, El Salvador, many Caribbean islands, and various other wonderful destinations.

Spending quality time with friends and family at the McEnroe cottage at Pan Yack Park in Racine County, Wisconsin was always one of her favorite activities. Later in life she also took up painting and has left us with many delightful artworks that grace our homes.

In 1998 she and Rod, looking ahead to retirement, purchased Middle Mountain Farm near Charlottesville, Virginia. In addition to providing a wonderful vacation destination for the family, it also caused Maggie and Rod to engage in a five-year project to design and build their iconic new home nestled in the mountains and built using 250 trees off the property and 250 tons of stone picked up off the farm. Maggie did an extraordinary job of designing the house and then finding all the furnishings for this extraordinary dwelling where they spent the rest of their lives together enjoying the mountains and entertaining friends and family in the guest compound. Thanksgiving at the farm became a cherished family tradition drawing many of her family to make the pilgrimage to the mountain every year.

Beyond building her careers, home, and wonderful family, Maggie participated in many different civic activities, including PEO chapters in both Illinois and Virginia, volunteering at the Hospice of the Piedmont in Charlottesville and helping Rod with his non-profit, the Blue Ridge PRISM. She also spent many hours in her art room painting the people, pets, and landscapes of the farm.

On February 13, 2025, Maggie passed peacefully after a long struggle with Alzheimer's and from the effects of a stroke she had just before the pandemic. She spent the last three years as a resident of Smith Village in Chicago. Her family is extraordinarily grateful for the gentle, caring staff at Smith Village who provided her with tender loving care for her final years. And of course, we are also so grateful for all the loving friends and family who visited there and comforted us through these many challenges.

She is survived by her husband, Rod Walker; her three children Benjamin (Joseph Leamanczyk), Alexander, and Hilary Byrnes (Kevin). There are two grandchildren Walker Byrnes and Blythe Byrnes. She is also survived by her four siblings Patricia Koschik (Marv), John McEnroe, Robert McEnroe (Sue) and Mary Paschali (Chuck).

Maggie was a proud graduate of Rosary High School in Aurora, Illinois and was, for many years, a tireless volunteer and benefactor. Anyone desiring to make a charitable contribution in her name is asked to please consider Rosary.

Memorial visitation will be held on Friday, March 28, 2025 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Healy Chapel at 370 Division Drive in Sugar Grove, Illinois. Memorial mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on March 29, 2025 at Holy Angels Catholic Church, corner of Russell and Lancaster Avenue in Aurora. Interment will be private at a later date at Middle Mountain Farm in Virginia.

For further information about the visitation, please call Healy Chapel at (630) 466-1330 or visit our website www.healychapel.com.